def·a·ma·tion

(dĕf′ə-mā′shən)

The act of defaming; calumny, slander, or libel.

de·fam′a·to′ry (dĭ-făm′ə-tôr′ē) adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

defamation

(ˌdɛfəˈmeɪʃən)

1. (Law) law the injuring of a person's good name or reputation. Compare libel, slander

2. (Law) the act of defaming or state of being defamed

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

def•a•ma•tion

(ˌdɛf əˈmeɪ ʃən)

n.

the act of defaming, esp. unjustified injury to another's reputation, as by slander or libel.

[1275–1325; Middle English < Medieval Latin]

de•fam•a•to•ry (dɪˈfæm əˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i) adj.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	defamation - a false accusation of an offense or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or actions calumniation, calumny, hatchet job, traducement, obloquy depreciation - a communication that belittles somebody or something assassination, blackwash, character assassination - an attack intended to ruin someone's reputation malignment, smear, vilification - slanderous defamation libel - a false and malicious publication printed for the purpose of defaming a living person slander - words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another name calling, names - verbal abuse; a crude substitute for argument; "sticks and stones may break my bones but names can never hurt me" epithet, name - a defamatory or abusive word or phrase
	2.	defamation - an abusive attack on a person's character or good name aspersion, calumny, denigration, slander attack - strong criticism; "he published an unexpected attack on my work"

defamation

noun slander, smear, libel, scandal, slur, vilification, opprobrium, denigration, calumny, character assassination, disparagement, obloquy, aspersion, traducement He was considering suing for defamation.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

defamation

noun

The expression of injurious, malicious statements about someone:

aspersion, calumniation, calumny, character assassination, denigration, detraction, scandal, slander, traducement, vilification.

Law: libel.

Translations

pomluva

Verleumdung Beleidigung Diffamierung

δυσφήμηση

difamación

diffamation

diffamazione diffamatorio

ærekrenkelseærekrenking

difamação

диффамация шельмование

defamation

[ˌdefəˈmeɪʃən] N → difamación f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

defamation

[ˌdɛfəˈmeɪʃ^ən] n → diffamation f
defamation of character → diffamation f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

defamation

n → Diffamierung f, → Verleumdung f; defamation of character → Rufmord m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

defamation

[ˌdɛfəˈmeɪʃ/ən] n (frm) → diffamazione f

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Josephs, partly from benevolence, and partly from a vague fear that Smilash might at any moment take an action against him for defamation of character, said he had no doubt that he was a very cheap workman, and that it would be a charity to give him some little job to encourage him.

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His indignant countrymen actually caused him to be prosecuted in the native courts, on a charge nearly equivalent to what we term defamation of character; but the old fellow persisting in his assertion, and no invalidating proof being adduced, the plaintiffs were cast in the suit, and the cannibal reputation of the defendant firmly established.

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"So curious, that I think you are running a great risk of a prosecution for defamation of character."

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But some day he will know what is the meaning of defamation, and if he ever does, he will forgive me.

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"It seems to me that if what he says is false, the proper name for it is calumny, defamation of character; and such a slanderer deserves the thrashing."

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Summary: Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], Aug 30 (ANI): A Mumbai court on Friday asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to appear before the court on September 3 in connection with a criminal defamation case.

Mumbai court summons Rahul Gandhi for personal appearance in criminal defamation complaint

The motif of this meeting was Arnaut's Initiative to incorporate different standards of admissibility, tolerance and evidence in defamation laws regarding alleged defamation against public figures in relation to private persons, in accordance with the practice of the European Court of Human Rights.

Association of Journalists supports initiative against defamation lawsuits

The Women's Action Forum (WAF) on Monday called for the decriminalising of defamation, saying the law is used 'as a silencing tool'.

Women rights group says defamation law being used as 'silencing tool'

Nazarbayev suggests to toughen penalty for defamation AKIPRESS.COM - The first President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev speaking at the extended meeting of the political council of Nur-Otan party called on to harden the penalty for knowingly false defamatory data, Sputnik Kazakhstan reports.

Nazarbayev suggests to toughen penalty for defamation

ISLAMABAD -- Prime Minister Imran Khan has sent a defamation notice worth Rs10 billion to a TV anchor upon misleading propaganda about his personal life.

PM Imran sends Rs10 bn defamation notice to TV anchor

Prime Minister Imran Khanon Saturday sent defamation notice worth Rs 10 billion to Private TV anchor Najam Sethi upon misleading reporting about his personal life.

PM Imran sends Rs10bn defamation notice to Najam Sethi