character assassination
Deliberate reputation destruction
Character assassination is a deliberate attack on someone's reputation through spreading damaging information—true, exaggerated, or fabricated.
The term borrows the finality of murder: a successful character assassination can end a career or destroy a public figure as effectively as physical harm.
The campaign devolved into character assassination on both sides.
Spread or defame
- slanderSpoken false defamation
- libelPrinted defamation
- vilifyAttack someone's reputation
- malignAttack someone's reputation
denigrate · besmirch · tarnish · discredit · impugn · disparage · traduce · calumny
Deliberate untruths
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- distortionTwisting from original state
innuendo · rumors · propaganda · misrepresentation · exaggeration · untruths · canards · false accusations
Escape through a breach
- exposeMake known publicly
- frameSupporting outer structure
- sabotageDeliberate disruption of operations
- undermineWeaken by stealth
orchestrate · plant · spin · manipulate · exploit · target · ambush · blindside
Organized effort toward goal
- opponentOne who contends against
- scandalDisgraceful public affair
- attack adsNegative campaign commercials
- opposition researchInvestigating adversaries for damaging information
political warfare · election · mudslinging · October surprise · leaked documents · whisper campaign · planted story · talking points
Petty malicious intent
- vindictivenessDisposition toward retaliation
- maliceIntent to cause harm
- revengePunishing a wrongdoer
- jealousyResentful desire for another's advantages
envy · resentment · grudge · animosity · rivalry · ill-will · bitterness · hostility
smear
Spread or defame
malign · denigrate · besmirch · tarnish · discredit · impugn · disparage · traduce · calumny · mudslinging
lies
Deliberate untruths
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
distortion · innuendo · rumors · propaganda · misrepresentation · exaggeration · untruths · canards · false accusations · half-truths
leak
Escape through a breach
undermine · orchestrate · plant · spin · manipulate · exploit · target · ambush · blindside · gaslight
campaign
Organized effort toward goal
- opponentOne who contends against
- scandalDisgraceful public affair
- attack adsNegative campaign commercials
opposition research · political warfare · election · mudslinging · October surprise · leaked documents · whisper campaign · planted story · talking points · spin doctor
spite
Petty malicious intent
- vindictivenessDisposition toward retaliation
- maliceIntent to cause harm
- revengePunishing a wrongdoer
jealousy · envy · resentment · grudge · animosity · rivalry · ill-will · bitterness · hostility · vendetta
- combat idiomsstab in the back, dodge a bullet, in the crosshairs, fire away, take a shot
- dirty trickscheating, lying, deceit, trickery, deception
- disparagementdefame, denigrate, disparage, malign, slander
- intimidationthreats, threatening, menacing, intimidate, bullying
- defamationslander, libel, defamation, defamatory statement, defaming
- dirty tacticsdirty trick, dirty tricks, dirty pool, foul play, cheap shot
character assassinationcharacter building
Developing moral strength
praise · glorification · lionization · vindication · panegyric
character assassinationbalanced reporting
Journalism showing multiple viewpoints
character assassinationvindication
Clearance of blame
exoneration · defense · character witness · advocacy · championship
character, characters, assassinate, characterize, assassination, assassinated, characterization, characterized, characterless