defamatory

[ dih-fam-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee ]

adjective

1. containing defamation; injurious to reputation; slanderous or libelous:

   She claimed that the article in the magazine was defamatory.

defamatory

/ -trɪ; dɪˈfæmətərɪ /

adjective

1. injurious to someone's name or reputation

Derived Forms

• deˈfamatorily, adverb

Other Words From

• nonde·fama·tory adjective
• unde·fama·tory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of defamatory¹

First recorded in 1585–95; from Medieval Latin diffāmātōrius, equivalent to Latin diffāmā(re) ( defame ) + -tōrious -tory ¹

Example Sentences

In a short emailed comment to The Times, Villanueva said Baltazar had been arrested for burglary and not loitering, and that the allegations against him were “demonstrably false, defamatory” claims relying on “false allegations made recently regarding events from thirty years ago that will never see the light of day in a courtroom.”

From Los Angeles Times

He added: “Making defamatory remarks is not going to help Metro Boomin’s cause and we look forward to proving Ms. LeMaistre’s claims in court and ultimately before a jury.”

From Los Angeles Times

It is alleged he breached an injunction not to repeat lies about a Syrian refugee which had been previously ruled by a judge to be defamatory.

From BBC

Public figures such as the Exonerated Five have to clear the high hurdle of proving the defendant acted knowing the defamatory statement was false, or with “conscious disregard” as to whether the statement is true or false.

From Slate

While I think they’d still be able to convince a jury that the statements were defamatory and harmful, their actual damages might be less just because the effect of their reputation based on Trump’s falsehood might not be that great.

From Slate

Related Words

• derogatory
• disparaging
• injurious
• insulting