hatchet jobs
Vicious critical attacks
A hatchet job is a piece of writing or speech designed to damage someone's reputation—a malicious attack disguised as journalism or criticism.
The metaphor suggests crude butchering rather than careful analysis: The biography was a hatchet job from start to finish.
Someone who performs such attacks is a hatchet man.
- attackAggressive act against another
- hit pieceDisparaging article targeting someone
- criticismJudgment of faults
- cheap shotUnfair attack or remark
- personal attackCriticism aimed at someone directly
defamation · denigration · mud slinging · yellow journalism · tirade · smears · below the belt · condemnation · vituperation · vilification · character assassination · smear campaign · invective · slander · calumny · slash and burn · censure · disparagement
- defamationslander, libel, defamation, defamatory statement, defaming
hatchet jobsbalanced reporting
Journalism showing multiple viewpoints
hatchet jobspuff pieces
Uncritical promotional writing
hagiographies · panegyrics · encomiums · love letters · valentines