drag through mud
Ruin someone's reputation
To drag someone through the mud is to publicly damage their reputation by exposing or inventing unfavorable information about them.
The image is of someone being hauled through filth, emerging covered in it: The tabloids dragged her through the mud during the divorce proceedings.
Often appears as drag someone's name through the mud.
- slanderSpoken false defamation
- smearSpread or defame
- smear campaignOrganized defamation effort
- defameHarm reputation falsely
- character assassinationDestroying someone's good name
tarnish · disgrace · reputation · good name · gossip · scandal · dirty laundry · muck · filth · sully · besmirch · vilify · hit piece · dirty · grime · stain · ruin · character
- disparagementdefame, denigrate, disparage, malign, slander
- reputationreputation, reputable, bad reputation, repute, disreputable
- scandalscandal, infamy, disgrace, coverup, cover-up
drag through mudsing the praises of
Enthusiastically commend or laud
put on a pedestal · praise · defend · laud · extol
drag through mudvouch for
Affirm someone's trustworthiness
stand up for · champion · endorse · recommend · stick up for