defame
C1Formal, Legal
Definition
Meaning
To damage the good reputation of someone; to speak or write about someone in a way that harms their character and standing.
To attack, tarnish, or destroy a person's public reputation through false or malicious statements.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily associated with written or spoken attacks on character. Implies an act that is injurious to reputation, often with the connotation of falseness or malice. The action is directed at a person, group, or entity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The word is used identically in both varieties. The concept of 'defamation' is a specific legal tort in both UK and US law, though precise legal definitions and defences (e.g., 'libel' vs 'slander') can vary.
Connotations
Strongly negative. Carries heavy legal and moral weight, implying serious harm.
Frequency
More common in legal, journalistic, and formal academic contexts than in everyday conversation in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] defames [Object (person/entity)][Subject] defames [Object] as [complement][Subject] is defamed by [Agent]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A campaign of defamation”
- “Character assassination”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The former executive threatened to sue the newspaper for publishing an article she claimed defamed her professional integrity."
Academic
"The Roman emperor deployed propaganda to defame his political rivals, portraying them as corrupt and treacherous."
Everyday
"Spreading those lies online just to defame your neighbour is both cruel and potentially illegal."
Technical
"The plaintiff must prove the published statement was false and defamed them, causing measurable harm to their reputation."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The tabloid was found to have defamed the celebrity with its unfounded allegations.
- He claimed the documentary defamed him as a fraud.
American English
- The politician filed a lawsuit claiming the TV network defamed him during the broadcast.
- You can't just defame a competitor's product in your ads without proof.
adverb
British English
- The article spoke defamatorily of the entire community.
- He wrote defamatorily about his former business partner.
American English
- The reviewer wrote defamatorily, accusing the scientist of fabricating data.
- The blog post referred defamatorily to local officials.
adjective
British English
- The defamatory remarks were swiftly removed from the website.
- He was accused of making defamatory statements in a public meeting.
American English
- The article contained defamatory content about the corporation's CEO.
- Posting defamatory comments online can lead to serious legal consequences.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- It is wrong to defame someone by telling lies about them.
- The newspaper had to apologise for defaming the actor.
- The company sued the blog for publishing posts that defamed its management team.
- In many countries, it is illegal to knowingly defame a person's character.
- The barrister argued that the biography contained several passages that were clearly designed to defame her client's reputation.
- Authoritarian regimes often use state media to systematically defame dissidents and activists.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: DE-stroy their FAME = DEFAME.
Conceptual Metaphor
REPUTATION IS A STRUCTURE / CLEAN OBJECT. Defaming is DAMAGING THAT STRUCTURE or SOILING THAT OBJECT.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not a general term for 'criticise' or 'insult' (критиковать, оскорблять). It is specifically about damaging public reputation, often with legal implications, closer to 'порочить', 'очернять', 'клеветать'.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'defame' with 'defeat' or 'defend'. Using it for minor criticism rather than serious reputation damage. Incorrect: 'My teacher defamed my essay.' Correct: 'My teacher criticised my essay.'
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following scenarios BEST illustrates the meaning of 'defame'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. An insult is a personal affront or rude remark. To defame specifically means to damage someone's public reputation, often with false statements, and has serious legal implications.
'Defame' is the general verb for damaging reputation. 'Slander' is a specific type of defamation - spoken defamation. The written form is 'libel'. 'Defame' can cover both.
You can defame both individuals and legal entities like companies, organisations, or groups, as they can also have reputations that can be harmed.
In most legal systems, if a statement is proven to be substantially true, it is a complete defence against a claim of defamation. The essence of defamation is the communication of a false statement of fact that causes harm.