Defamatory
adjective
Something that can ruin someone's reputation by saying or writing unpleasant things about them, which are not true.
She accused her opponent of making defamatory statements during the campaign.
Often appears as...
- defamatory statements
- defamatory remarks
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
adjective
Something that can ruin someone's reputation by saying or writing unpleasant things about them, which are not true.
She accused her opponent of making defamatory statements during the campaign.
Often appears as...
- defamatory statements
- defamatory remarks
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Legal Risks
Using 'defamatory' words can lead to lawsuits. Always make sure your criticisms are factual.
His defamatory comment on social media resulted in a court case.
Pro Tip 2/3Reputation Damage
'Defamatory' involves damaging someone's good name, often unfairly or falsely.
The newspaper was sued for publishing defamatory accusations against the celebrity.
Pro Tip 3/3Subjectivity
What's deemed 'defamatory' can be subjective. Avoid statements that could be interpret as offensive.
Even though intended as a joke, the comment was considered defamatory.
Pro Tip 1/3Legal Risks
Using 'defamatory' words can lead to lawsuits. Always make sure your criticisms are factual.
His defamatory comment on social media resulted in a court case.
Pro Tip 2/3Reputation Damage
'Defamatory' involves damaging someone's good name, often unfairly or falsely.
The newspaper was sued for publishing defamatory accusations against the celebrity.
Pro Tip 3/3Subjectivity
What's deemed 'defamatory' can be subjective. Avoid statements that could be interpret as offensive.
Even though intended as a joke, the comment was considered defamatory.
Pro Tip 1/3Legal Risks
Using 'defamatory' words can lead to lawsuits. Always make sure your criticisms are factual.
His defamatory comment on social media resulted in a court case.
Pro Tip 2/3Reputation Damage
'Defamatory' involves damaging someone's good name, often unfairly or falsely.
The newspaper was sued for publishing defamatory accusations against the celebrity.
Pro Tip 3/3Subjectivity
What's deemed 'defamatory' can be subjective. Avoid statements that could be interpret as offensive.
Even though intended as a joke, the comment was considered defamatory.
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Quote examples
Nicholas Kristof
American Journalist
Technology companies must constantly weigh ethical decisions: Where should Facebook set its privacy defaults, and should it tolerate glimpses of nudity? Should Twitter close accounts that seem sympathetic to terrorists? How should Google handle sex and violence, or defamatory articles?
Quote examples
Olga Tokarczuk
Polish Writer
State television, from which a significant number of Poles get their news, consistently smears, in aggressive and defamatory language, the political opposition and anyone who thinks differently from the ruling party.
Quote examples
Scott Rudin
American Producer
Anybody who understands how a movie gets made understands that a deep-pockets player is not going to make a movie that has anything defamatory in it without protections.
Quote examples
Lee Hsien Loong
Singaporean Politician
If you make a defamatory allegation that the Prime Minister is guilty of criminal misappropriation of pension funds of Singaporeans, that's a very serious matter.
Quote examples
Richard Cohen
American Journalist
How is it possible to defame Trump? When Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called the president a 'moron,' was that defamatory or merely the prosaic truth?
Quote examples
Nicholas Kristof
American Journalist
Technology companies must constantly weigh ethical decisions: Where should Facebook set its privacy defaults, and should it tolerate glimpses of nudity? Should Twitter close accounts that seem sympathetic to terrorists? How should Google handle sex and violence, or defamatory articles?
Quote examples
Olga Tokarczuk
Polish Writer
State television, from which a significant number of Poles get their news, consistently smears, in aggressive and defamatory language, the political opposition and anyone who thinks differently from the ruling party.
Quote examples
Scott Rudin
American Producer
Anybody who understands how a movie gets made understands that a deep-pockets player is not going to make a movie that has anything defamatory in it without protections.
Quote examples
Lee Hsien Loong
Singaporean Politician
If you make a defamatory allegation that the Prime Minister is guilty of criminal misappropriation of pension funds of Singaporeans, that's a very serious matter.
Quote examples
Richard Cohen
American Journalist
How is it possible to defame Trump? When Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called the president a 'moron,' was that defamatory or merely the prosaic truth?
Example 1 of 5
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