slander

1 of 2

verb

slan·​der ˈslan-dər How to pronounce slander (audio)
slandered; slandering ˈslan-d(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce slander (audio)
Synonyms of slandernext

transitive verb

: to utter slander against : defame
slanderer
ˈslan-dər-ər How to pronounce slander (audio)
noun

slander

2 of 2

noun

1
: the utterance of false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another's reputation
2
: a false and defamatory oral statement about a person compare libel
slanderous
ˈslan-d(ə-)rəs How to pronounce slander (audio)
adjective
slanderously adverb
slanderousness noun

Synonyms

Verb

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for slander

malign, traduce, asperse, vilify, calumniate, defame, slander mean to injure by speaking ill of.

malign suggests specific and often subtle misrepresentation but may not always imply deliberate lying.

the most maligned monarch in British history

traduce stresses the resulting ignominy and distress to the victim.

so traduced the governor that he was driven from office

asperse implies continued attack on a reputation often by indirect or insinuated detraction.

both candidates aspersed the other's motives

vilify implies attempting to destroy a reputation by open and direct abuse.

no criminal was more vilified in the press

calumniate imputes malice to the speaker and falsity to the assertions.

falsely calumniated as a traitor

defame stresses the actual loss of or injury to one's good name.

sued them for defaming her reputation

slander stresses the suffering of the victim.

town gossips slandered their good name

Examples of slander in a Sentence

Verb She was accused of slandering her former boss. Noun She is being sued for slander. He was a target of slander. We've heard countless unsupported slanders about her.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Dearborn has often been slandered for simply coexisting peacefully, because the truth is, some people are uncomfortable, and frankly upset about seeing church steeples and mosque domes share the same skyline on roads. —Niraj Warikoo, Freep.com, 24 Sep. 2025 In this article, the authors engage various writing devices to slander a good man assassinated for the crime of engaging in, and encouraging, free speech for all. —James Gaylord, Oc Register, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
Jones accused Parker of slander and defamation, and said the incident could have an impact on the ability of her nonprofit to raise funds. —Amanda McCoy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Oct. 2025 The Guardian should sue for slander. —Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slander

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sclaundre, slaundre, from Anglo-French esclandre, alteration of escandle, from Late Latin scandalum stumbling block, offense — more at scandal entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of slander was in the 13th century

Rhymes for slander

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Browse Nearby Words

SL and C
slander
slanderful
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slander.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slander. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

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Kids Definition

slander

1 of 2 noun
slan·​der ˈslan-dər How to pronounce slander (audio)
1
: the making of false statements that damage another's reputation
2
: a false and harmful oral statement about a person
slanderous
-d(ə-)rəs
adjective
slanderously adverb

slander

2 of 2 verb
slandered; slandering
-d(ə-)riŋ
: to utter slander against : defame
slanderer
-dər-ər
noun

Legal Definition

slander

1 of 2 transitive verb
slan·​der ˈslan-dər How to pronounce slander (audio)
: to utter slander against
slanderer noun

slander

2 of 2 noun
1
: defamation of a person by unprivileged oral communication made to a third party
also : defamatory oral statements
2
: the tort of oral defamation
sued his former employer for slander
compare defamation, false light, libel

Note: An action for slander may be brought without alleging and proving special damages if the statements in question have a plainly harmful character, as by imputing to the plaintiff criminal guilt, serious sexual misconduct, or conduct or a characteristic affecting his or her business or profession.

slanderous
ˈslan-də-rəs How to pronounce slander (audio)
adjective
slanderously adverb
slanderousness noun
Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French esclandre, from Old French escandle, esclandre scandal, from Late Latin scandalum moral stumbling block, disgrace, from Greek skandalon, literally, snare, trap

More from Merriam-Webster on slander

Nglish: Translation of slander for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about slander

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