defamed; defaming
1
law
: to harm the reputation of by communicating false statements about : to harm the reputation of by libel (see libel entry 1 sense 2a) or slander (see slander entry 2 sense 2)
defamed her character
2
archaic
: accuse
defamed of witchcraft
3
archaic
: disgrace
defamer
noun
Synonyms
Examples of defame in a Sentence
He says he was defamed by reports that falsely identified him as a former gangster.
of course I want to win the election, but I refuse to defame my opponent in order to do so
Recent Examples on the Web
Giuliani had previously been ordered by a judge to pay $148 million in damages for defaming two Georgia election workers.
—
Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 3 July 2024
In 2022, the plaintiffs in the two lawsuits were collectively awarded nearly $1.5 billion after claiming Jones defamed them and inflicted emotional distress by repeatedly suggesting on his Infowars platform, which is operated by Free Speech Systems, that the shooting was a hoax.
—Erik Ortiz, NBC News, 27 June 2024
Luke countersued, claiming the singer had defamed him.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 19 June 2024
About how Netflix defames Harvey in its promotion on the website.
—Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for defame 
Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 3 July 2024
In 2022, the plaintiffs in the two lawsuits were collectively awarded nearly $1.5 billion after claiming Jones defamed them and inflicted emotional distress by repeatedly suggesting on his Infowars platform, which is operated by Free Speech Systems, that the shooting was a hoax.
—Erik Ortiz, NBC News, 27 June 2024
Luke countersued, claiming the singer had defamed him.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 19 June 2024
About how Netflix defames Harvey in its promotion on the website.
—Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for defame
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'defame.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Defame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defame. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Legal Definition
defame
transitive verb
de·fame
di-ˈfām 
defamed; defaming
: to make the subject of defamation
defamer
noun
Etymology
Medieval Latin defamare, alteration of Latin diffamare to spread news of, defame, from dis-, prefix marking dispersal or removal + fama reputation
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