verb
defame
dih-FAYM
verb
1
To damage someone's reputation by making false or malicious statements about them.
"The article defamed the mayor with baseless claims of corruption."
"He sued the blogger for defaming him online."
How to Use Defame
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo hurt someone's reputation by spreading false claims about them.
Common pairings
defame someone
accused of defaming
Word Forms
defamed past tense, defames plural, defames singular
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The article _____ the mayor with baseless claims of corruption.
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman defamer, from Latin diffāmō, built from fāma ("reputation, rumour") — the same root that gives us "fame."