List of 426 Sets of Synonyms - How they Differ - Total of 2307 Words - 232

SYNONYMS: malign, defame, vilify, slander, libel.
These verbs mean to make evil, harmful, often untrue statements about another.

Malign stresses malicious intent: Have I not taken your part when you were maligned?
Defame connotes damage to reputation, character, or good name brought about by misrepresentation: The judge ruled that the plaintiff had been defamed and had grounds for a lawsuit.
Vilify pertains to open, deliberate, vicious defamation or denigration: One who belongs to the most vilified minority in history is not likely to be insensible to freedom.
Slander applies to malicious, false, and defamatory oral expression: slandered his political opponent.
Libel involves the communication of written or pictorial material injurious to the reputation of another: The publicity caused him to regret having sued the newspaper for libeling his character.