Maligning and Smearing

Maligning

Maligning noun - The making of false statements that damage another's reputation.
Usage example: public maligning of a person can actually be grounds for a lawsuit

Smearing and maligning are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Smearing" instead a noun "Maligning".

Nearby Words: malign, maligned

Smearing

Smearing noun - The making of false statements that damage another's reputation.
Usage example: this smearing has got to stop, or the voters will conclude that there's absolutely no one worth voting for

Maligning and smearing are semantically related. You can use "Maligning" instead a noun "Smearing".

Nearby Words: smear, smeared, smeary
Cite this Source
Smearing and Maligning. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 13, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/maligning/smearing
Maligning & Smearing. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/maligning/smearing>.
Smearing or Maligning. 2016. Accessed August 13, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/maligning/smearing.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "maligning" and "smearing" have occurred on timeline