as in libel
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation
a blogger whose site is little more than a foulmouthed forum for calumny and rumormongering
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Recent Examples of calumny
That’s when his ugly-American calumny turned to blather.
—
Armond White, National Review, 28 May 2025
That brings us to the other calumnies Vance and Trump have directed at the Haitians in Springfield.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2024
This egregious calumny is not, however, attributable solely to the disease of the soul that translates into Republicanism according to Biden.
—The Editors, National Review, 22 May 2024
The bid to excuse Wilson by comparison to his conservative Republican successors is a calumny.
—Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 6 Feb. 2024
Within Israel, though, the ICJ case is seen by most as a calumny that only proves antisemitism’s enduring nature.
—Marc Champion, Twin Cities, 21 Jan. 2024
For years, the British government maintained that the dead were combatants and that some of them belonged to the I.R.A.
To family members, this was a calumny that for decades shadowed their lives.
—David Segal, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2023
Claiming otherwise is a despicable calumny.
—James Freeman, WSJ, 25 May 2021
From the calumny and chaos of John Tyler's presidency to Andrew Johnson's drunken swearing-in, the conduct of several Presidents have been less-than stellar.
—Sydney Walton, CNN, 16 Jan. 2021
Armond White, National Review, 28 May 2025
That brings us to the other calumnies Vance and Trump have directed at the Haitians in Springfield.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2024
This egregious calumny is not, however, attributable solely to the disease of the soul that translates into Republicanism according to Biden.
—The Editors, National Review, 22 May 2024
The bid to excuse Wilson by comparison to his conservative Republican successors is a calumny.
—Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 6 Feb. 2024
Within Israel, though, the ICJ case is seen by most as a calumny that only proves antisemitism’s enduring nature.
—Marc Champion, Twin Cities, 21 Jan. 2024
For years, the British government maintained that the dead were combatants and that some of them belonged to the I.R.A.
To family members, this was a calumny that for decades shadowed their lives.
—David Segal, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2023
Claiming otherwise is a despicable calumny.
—James Freeman, WSJ, 25 May 2021
From the calumny and chaos of John Tyler's presidency to Andrew Johnson's drunken swearing-in, the conduct of several Presidents have been less-than stellar.
—Sydney Walton, CNN, 16 Jan. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calumny
Noun
-
After The New York Times ran an investigative story looking into Lively's claims, Baldoni filed a $250 million lawsuit against the outlet, alleging libel, which The New York Times denied.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
10 June 2025
-
On New Year’s Eve, Lively formally sued Baldoni, who simultaneously filed a $250 million libel lawsuit against the Times.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2025
Noun
-
Spacey’s name was cited on a lengthy list of Epstein’s acquaintances and associates, which were released on Jan. 4, 2024 courtesy of unsealed court documents that were part of a 2015 defamation lawsuit against Epstein’s right-hand woman, Ghislaine Maxwell.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
15 July 2025
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Scottish lawyer Fiona Harvey, who Martha was allegedly based on, filed a $170 million lawsuit against Netflix in June 2024, accusing the network of defamation and inaccuracy.—
Latoya Gayle,
People.com,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Calumny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calumny. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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