slander

[ slan-der ]

noun

1. defamation; calumny:

   The accusations are based on hearsay, rumor, or intentional slander, and remain undocumented and unproved.

2. a malicious, false, and defamatory statement or report:

   The writer is spewing a despicable slander against an 87-year-old man, and without a shred of proof.

3. Law. defamation by oral utterance rather than by writing, pictures, etc.: Compare libel ( def 1a ).

   The plaintiff amended his complaint to add a count of slander arising from the statements made at the board meetings.

verb (used with object)

1. to utter slander against; defame:

   Both parties tried to concentrate on public policy issues in their campaigns, rather than slandering their political opponents.

   Synonyms: revile, vilify, malign

verb (used without object)

1. to utter or circulate slander:

   They could find no skeletons in my closet, so their only option was to lie and slander.

slander

/ ˈslɑːndə /

noun

1. law
   1. defamation in some transient form, as by spoken words, gestures, etc
   2. a slanderous statement, etc
2. any false or defamatory words spoken about a person; calumny

verb

1. to utter or circulate slander (about)

Confusables Note

Defamation (and the less common calumny ) are general terms for untrue statements that attack or injure someone’s reputation. Slander and libel, while they are both used generally, are legally more specific: slander is spoken, while libel is written, broadcast, or published. If a statement is true, or is an opinion not stated as a fact, it cannot be considered defamation, and therefore cannot be prosecuted as slander or libel.

Derived Forms

• ˈslanderer, noun
• ˈslanderously, adverb
• ˈslanderousness, noun
• ˈslanderous, adjective

Other Words From

• slan·der·er noun
• slan·der·ing·ly adverb
• slan·der·ous adjective
• out·slan·der verb (used with object)
• re·slan·der verb (used with object)
• un·slan·dered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of slander¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English noun s(c)laundre, from Anglo-French esclaundre, Old French esclandre, alteration of escandle, from Late Latin scandalum “cause of offense, snare” ( scandal ); Middle English verb s(c)laundren “to cause to lapse morally, bring to disgrace, discredit, defame,” from Anglo-French esclaund(e)rer, from Old French esc(l)andrer, esc(l)andir, derivative of esclandre

Word History and Origins

Origin of slander¹

C13: via Anglo-French from Old French escandle, from Late Latin scandalum a cause of offence; see scandal

Example Sentences

Libel and slander are not protected speech, but satire most certainly is.

From Salon

But addressing the conference on its second day, President Aliyev said Azerbaijan had been subject to "slander and blackmail" ahead of COP29.

From BBC

Days before FBI and IRS agents raided the homes of Do and his daughter, the politician appeared on a Little Saigon radio station to accuse Gerda and other opponents of “slander.”

From Los Angeles Times

Beijing has previously called the allegations "malicious slander".

From BBC

In a statement released on X by his wife, Erik Menendez criticised the production the day after it was released, labelling the show "disheartening slander".

From BBC

Related Words

• belittle
• besmirch
• defame
• defile
• denigrate
• disparage
• libel
• malign
• scandalize
• smear
• sully
• tarnish
• vilify