Examples of libel in a Sentence
Jane Gross, New York Times, 5 June 1993
It is relevant to note that in 1987 the suit against Ms. Malcolm was dismissed … in a narrow ruling that stated that even if the quotations were "false and mischievous," Ms. Malcolm's alterations did not represent malicious intent and therefore did not constitute libel.
—Fred W. Friendly, New York Times Book Review, 25 Feb. 1990
The above is not only a flat lie but a political libel which may possibly damage me. Publish it at your peril …
—Bernard Shaw, letter, 16 Sept. 1949
In their tiresome addiction to this use of alleged, the newspapers, though having mainly in mind the danger of libel suits, can urge in further justification the lack of any other single word that exactly expresses their meaning; but the fact that a mud-puddle supplies the shortest route is not a compelling reason for walking through it.
—Ambrose Bierce, Write It Right, 1909
He sued the newspaper for libel.
The newspaper was found guilty of libel.
The newspaper's attorneys argued that the article was not a libel.
Verb
And in Oklahoma last year, lawyers filed a class-action suit against a group supporting tort reform, saying they had libeled trial lawyers.
—Judith Miller, New York Times, 11 June 1996
Government officials, he observed, were public servants who remained accountable to the people and therefore could not be libeled for their performance in office.
—Leonard W. Levy, Emergence of a Free Press, 1985
The jury found that the article libeled him.
the court decided that the newspaper's reportage of the former mayor, while irresponsible, did not constitute an effort to libel him
Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025
Just look at the amounts that news organizations are paying for libel insurance.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2025
As a new, inexpensive Chevrolet appeared in 1927 and The Dearborn Independent was sued for libeling a number of Jewish businessmen, Ford threw in the towel and apologized.
—George Pendle, airmail.news, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for libel
Cite this Entry
“Libel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/libel. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
libel
1 of 2 noun
libel
2 of 2 verbNoun
Middle English libel "a written statement, little book" from early French libel (same meaning), from Latin libellus, "little book," from liber "book" — related to library
Legal Definition
libel
1 of 2 noun
Note: Although libel is defined under state case law or statute, the U.S. Supreme Court has enumerated some First Amendment protections that apply to matters of public concern. In New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, the Court held that in order to recover damages a public person (as a celebrity or politician) who alleges libel (as by a newspaper) has to prove that “the statement was made with ‘actual malice’ — that is, with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not” in order to recover damages. The Court has also held that the states cannot allow a private person to recover damages for libel against a media defendant without a showing of fault (as negligence) on the defendant's part. These protections do not apply to matters that are not of public concern (as an individual's credit report) and that are not published by a member of the mass media. A libel plaintiff must generally establish that the alleged libel refers to him or her specifically, that it was published to others, and that some injury (as to reputation) occurred that gives him or her a right to recover damages (as actual, general, presumed, or special damages). The defendant may plead and establish the truth of the statements as a defense. Criminal libel may have additional elements, as in tending to provoke a breach of peace or in blackening the memory of someone who is dead, and may not have to be published to someone other than the person libeled.
libel
2 of 2 transitive verbNew York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 (1964)J. K. OwensNoun
Anglo-French, from Latin libellus, diminutive of liber book
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