variants
or less commonly SLAPP
plural SLAPP suits also SLAPPs
law
: a lawsuit alleging defamation that is in reality brought for the purpose of intimidating, burdening, punishing, or harassing the defendant for speaking out against the plaintiff on matters of public interest
SLAPP suits function by forcing the target into the judicial arena where the SLAPP filer foists upon the target the expenses of a defense. The purpose of such gamesmanship ranges from simple retribution for past activism to discouraging future activism.—
Gordon v. Marrone, 590 N.Y.S. 2d 649 (1992)
Gordon v. Marrone, 590 N.Y.S. 2d 649 (1992)The lawsuit looks, feels, and smells like a SLAPP …, a shameful attempt to cut off discussion on a controversial local issue. Developers, with depressing regularity, file SLAPPs to muzzle their critics.—Editor & Publisher
Editor & PublisherExamples of SLAPP suit in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
These changes come as SLAPP suits become increasingly prominent in high-profile cases.
—Angele Latham, The Tennessean, 26 Aug. 2025
Greenpeace Slaps Back The European Commission has a Directive against SLAPP suits, which has enabled Greenpeace to launch a counter offensive against Energy Transfer.
—Marianne Krasny, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
The Monday move came a day before a new Iowa law was set to take effect to curb lawsuits intended to chill public speech by burdening respondents with legal fees, commonly known as a SLAPP suit.
—Miriam Waldvogel, The Hill, 1 July 2025
Earthjustice recently hired an outside law firm to help the organization’s clients with SLAPP suits.
—Sharon Lerner, ProPublica, 22 Apr. 2025
SLAPPing Greenpeace Conflicts between developers and environmental activists are ripe for SLAPP suits, sometimes labeled eco-SLAPPs.
—Jennifer Safstrom, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2025
Greenpeace calls this a SLAPP suit, which is a strategic lawsuit against public participation.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 24 Feb. 2025
Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP suits) have been around for years.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
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Angele Latham, The Tennessean, 26 Aug. 2025
Greenpeace Slaps Back The European Commission has a Directive against SLAPP suits, which has enabled Greenpeace to launch a counter offensive against Energy Transfer.
—Marianne Krasny, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
The Monday move came a day before a new Iowa law was set to take effect to curb lawsuits intended to chill public speech by burdening respondents with legal fees, commonly known as a SLAPP suit.
—Miriam Waldvogel, The Hill, 1 July 2025
Earthjustice recently hired an outside law firm to help the organization’s clients with SLAPP suits.
—Sharon Lerner, ProPublica, 22 Apr. 2025
SLAPPing Greenpeace Conflicts between developers and environmental activists are ripe for SLAPP suits, sometimes labeled eco-SLAPPs.
—Jennifer Safstrom, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2025
Greenpeace calls this a SLAPP suit, which is a strategic lawsuit against public participation.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 24 Feb. 2025
Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP suits) have been around for years.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“SLAPP suit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/SLAPP%20suit. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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