1
as in defamation
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation
the actor's lawyers charge that the tabloid engaged in a deliberate campaign of character assassination
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in libel
the use of personal attacks or insults in order to undermine an opponent
refused to resort to character assassination even if it meant losing his bid for governor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of character assassination
There is a thin line between chatter and character assassination — and gossip goes right for the jugular.
—
Jason Walker Psyd, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
The relentless character assassination of the West continues apace.
—Abigail Anthony, National Review, 21 Mar. 2025
The character assassination needs to stop.
—Jovan Buha, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025
The former congresswoman was a target for character assassination and neo-McCarthyism by those who reflexively support endless interventionism and attempt to cancel dissenting views.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for character assassination
Jason Walker Psyd, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
The relentless character assassination of the West continues apace.
—Abigail Anthony, National Review, 21 Mar. 2025
The character assassination needs to stop.
—Jovan Buha, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025
The former congresswoman was a target for character assassination and neo-McCarthyism by those who reflexively support endless interventionism and attempt to cancel dissenting views.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for character assassination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for character assassination
Noun
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The latter defendant has already stood trial alongside Rey in September 2024 on defamation charges brought by Brigitte Macron and her brother Jean-Michel Trogneux.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Atkinson sued Noll for defamation but lost the suit.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Just look at the amounts that news organizations are paying for libel insurance.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Jim talked me through the legal complexities of both Peltier’s case and the libel suits.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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This franchise was once labeled the Jail Blazers for an era in the early 2000s that included transgressions of marijuana use, dogfighting, domestic abuse, fighting and drag racing.—
Jason Quick,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Separate Oklahoma court records reviewed by PEOPLE show that Rodriquez was charged in 2021 with child neglect and domestic abuse — assault and battery in the presence of a child.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In addition to initiating the censure process, the City Council called for a special meeting, with Barbadillo, Lam and Chua in favor.—
Luis Melecio-Zambrano,
Mercury News,
23 Oct. 2025
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In doing so, the palace must weigh distancing itself from Andrew with ensuring the blowback from any further censure does not do even more damage to an institution that requires public buy-in.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Black inks for the same printers tend to have less obvious smearing than the color ink, and many smear just enough to see a smudge, without harming readability.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
30 Sep. 2025
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If the smearing continues, look for a position elsewhere.—
Rolling Stone Culture Council,
Rolling Stone,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Cuomo told reporters that Mamdani’s criticism of Israel had made Jewish people afraid to leave their homes.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
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Although there seems to be a lot of fan criticism towards Aleister Black and Zelina Vega's debut entrance as a couple on SmackDown, there are also fans who appeared to be in favor of the look.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Character assassination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/character%20assassination. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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