Need another word that means the same as “defame”? Find 30 synonyms and 30 related words for “defame” in this overview.
The synonyms of “Defame” are: asperse, besmirch, calumniate, denigrate, slander, smear, smirch, sully, libel, malign, cast aspersions on, traduce, blacken the character of, blacken the name of, give someone a bad name, defame someone's character, sully someone's reputation, run down, speak evil of, speak ill of, run a smear campaign against, vilify, tarnish, stigmatize, disparage, discredit, decry, insult, lie about, tell lies about
According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “defame” as a verb can have the following definitions:
asperse | Charge falsely or with malicious intent. He aspersed the place and its inhabitants. |
besmirch | Make (something) dirty or discoloured. The ground was besmirched with blood. |
blacken the character of | Make or become black. |
blacken the name of | Burn slightly and superficially so as to affect color. |
calumniate | Charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone. He has been calumniating the Crown and all the conservative decencies. |
cast aspersions on | Choose at random. |
decry | Publicly denounce. They decried human rights abuses. |
defame someone's character | Charge falsely or with malicious intent. |
denigrate | Charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone. Doom and gloom merchants who denigrate their own country. |
discredit | Reject as false; refuse to accept. The paper discredited the politician with its nasty commentary. |
disparage | Regard or represent as being of little worth. She disparaged her student s efforts. |
give someone a bad name | Cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense. |
insult | Speak to or treat with disrespect or scornful abuse. You re insulting the woman I love. |
libel | Defame someone by publishing a libel. The jury found that he was libelled by a newspaper. |
lie about | Be and remain in a particular state or condition. |
malign | Speak unfavorably about. Don t you dare malign her in my presence. |
run a smear campaign against | Cover by running; run a certain distance. |
run down | Cause to emit recorded audio or video. |
slander | Charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone. They were accused of slandering the head of state. |
smear | Stain by smearing or daubing with a dirty substance. Someone was trying to smear her by faking letters. |
smirch | Charge falsely or with malicious intent. I am not accustomed to having my honour smirched. |
speak evil of | Make a characteristic or natural sound. |
speak ill of | Make a characteristic or natural sound. |
stigmatize | Mark with stigmata. She was stigmatized by society because she had a child out of wedlock. |
sully | Charge falsely or with malicious intent. They were outraged that anyone should sully their good name. |
sully someone's reputation | Make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically. |
tarnish | Make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically. Lemon juice would tarnish the gilded metal. |
tell lies about | Inform positively and with certainty and confidence. |
traduce | Speak badly of or tell lies about (someone) so as to damage their reputation. It was regarded as respectable political tactics to traduce him. |
vilify | Spread negative information about. He has been vilified in the press. |
abase | Behave in a way that belittles or degrades (someone. I watched my colleagues abasing themselves before the board of trustees. |
aspersion | A disparaging remark. In the 19th century any reference to female sexuality was considered a vile aspersion. |
belittle | Express a negative opinion of. Don t belittle his influence. |
calumniate | Make false and defamatory statements about. He has been calumniating the Crown and all the conservative decencies. |
calumny | A false accusation of an offense or a malicious misrepresentation of someone’s words or actions. A bitter struggle marked by calumny and litigation. |
decry | Express strong disapproval of. They decried human rights abuses. |
defamation | The action of damaging the good reputation of someone; slander or libel. She sued him for defamation. |
degrade | Treat or regard (someone) with contempt or disrespect. When exposed to light the materials will degrade. |
demean | Cause a severe loss in the dignity of and respect for (someone or something. I had demeaned the profession. |
demote | Move (someone) to a lower position or rank, usually as a punishment. The head of the army was demoted to deputy defence secretary. |
denigrate | Charge falsely or with malicious intent. Doom and gloom merchants who denigrate their own country. |
denigration | A belittling comment. Their constant denigration by a hostile media. |
deprecation | The act of expressing disapproval (especially of yourself. |
derogate | Cause to seem less serious; play down. This does not derogate from his duty to act honestly and faithfully. |
derogatory | Expressive of low opinion. She tells me I m fat and is always making derogatory remarks. |
detract | Take away a part from; diminish. These quibbles in no way detract from her achievement. |
detraction | The act of discrediting or detracting from someone’s reputation (especially by slander. Let it be no detraction from his merits to say he is plainspoken. |
disparage | Express a negative opinion of. She disparaged her student s efforts. |
disparagement | The act of speaking contemptuously of. |
disparaging | Expressing the opinion that something is of little worth; derogatory. Disparaging remarks about council houses. |
downgrade | An instance of reducing someone or something’s rank, status, or level of importance. Some jobs had gradually been downgraded from skilled to semi skilled. |
insult | Speak to or treat with disrespect or scornful abuse. The movement of the bone causes a severe tissue insult. |
opprobrium | A state of extreme dishonor- F.D.Roosevelt. The name was a by word of scorn and opprobrium throughout the city. |
relegate | Assign an inferior rank or position to. They aim to prevent women from being relegated to a secondary role. |
slander | Words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another. He is suing the TV company for slander. |
smirch | Charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone. The window was smirched by heat and smoke. |
sully | Make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically. Sully someone s reputation. |
traduce | Speak unfavorably about. It was regarded as respectable political tactics to traduce him. |
vilification | Abusively disparaging speech or writing. The widespread vilification of politicians. |
vilify | Speak or write about in an abusively disparaging manner. He has been vilified in the press. |
The synonyms and related words of "Brag" are: blow, bluster, boast, gas, gasconade, shoot a…
The synonyms and related words of "Pierce" are: thrust, make a hole in, penetrate, puncture,…
The synonyms and related words of "Weary" are: aweary, tired, tired out, exhausted, fatigued, overtired,…
The synonyms and related words of "Kick" are: complain, kvetch, plain, quetch, sound off, give…
The synonyms and related words of "Useless" are: futile, pointless, purposeless, impractical, vain, in vain,…
Want to describe something with adjectives that start with 'J'? Though they are not numerous,…