slander

/ˈslændɚ/

Group 20Difficulty 1/3

Definitions

(noun)
The action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person's reputation
GRE
(verb)
To make false and damaging statements about
GRE

Example in Context

The court awarded substantial damages after finding that the defendant had deliberately slandered the plaintiff to undermine her candidacy.

Synonyms

bad-mouthdefamesmear

Etymology

To make damaging spoken statements about someone.

  • slandrare (Latin) — to defame

Memory Aid

🏖️Sounds like “sand her

If you SAND HER reputation with lies, you're SLANDERING her in the worst way!

Visual Association

👎A person whispering malicious gossip while others look shocked and disapproving.

Semantic Clusters

Synonym Groups

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “slander” mean on the GRE?

slander (noun) means “The action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person's reputation”. The court awarded substantial damages after finding that the defendant had deliberately slandered the plaintiff to undermine her candidacy.

How to remember “slander” for the GRE?

Mnemonic: “slander” sounds like “sand her”. If you SAND HER reputation with lies, you're SLANDERING her in the worst way!

What are synonyms for “slander”?

Common synonyms: bad-mouth, defame, smear.