Noun: defamation ,de-fu'mey-shun
- A false accusation of an offence or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or actions
"The journalist was sued for defamation after publishing unverified claims";
- calumny, calumniation, obloquy, traducement, hatchet job
- An abusive attack on a person's character or good name
"The company sued for defamation after false claims were published";
- aspersion, calumny, slander, denigration
Derived forms: defamations
Type of: attack, blast [informal], depreciation, derogation, disparagement, fire, flack, flak [informal], stick [Brit, informal]
Encyclopedia: Defamation