Definition

Noun: - One who attacks the reputation of another by slander or libel: A person who makes false and damaging statements about someone, either in spoken form (slander) or in a permanent form like writing or pictures (libel).

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The politician sued the newspaper columnist, calling him a vicious libeler.
  • In the courtroom, the defense attorney portrayed the witness as a known libeler with a history of making false accusations.

Advanced Usage

• Legal Context: The term is often used in legal contexts concerning defamation. A is specifically someone who commits libel, which is a written or published false statement that harms reputation.
  • The judge warned that the author could be found to be a libeler if the claims in the book were proven false.
• Historical/Journalistic Context: It can describe someone who spreads damaging untruths through publications.
  • The pamphlet was the work of an anonymous libeler seeking to ruin the merchant's good name.

Variants and Related Words

• Libel (n/verb): The act or crime of publishing a false statement that damages a person's reputation; to publish such a statement.
  • She decided to sue for libel.
• Libelous (adj): Containing or constituting libel.
  • The article was found to be libelous.
• Libelist (n): A less common variant meaning the same as .

Synonyms

• Defamer: One who damages the good reputation of someone.
• Slanderer: One who makes false and malicious spoken statements.
• Vilifier: One who speaks or writes about in an abusively disparaging manner.
• Traducer: One who speaks badly of or tells lies about to damage their reputation.

Antonyms

• Praiser: One who expresses warm approval or admiration.
• Complimenter: One who politely expresses praise or admiration.
• Defender: One who supports someone or something against criticism.

Related Phrases/Idioms

• To be guilty of libel: To have committed the act of libel.
  • The journalist was found guilty of libel.
• A campaign of libel: A sustained series of libelous attacks.
  • The celebrity endured a relentless campaign of libel from certain tabloids.

Noun

1. one who attacks the reputation of another by slander or libel