maligns
Drags through mud
To malign someone is to speak harmful untruths about them, damaging their reputation: Political opponents maligned her character throughout the campaign.
The word implies deliberate false accusation rather than honest criticism.
As an adjective, malign describes something harmful or evil in influence: malign forces, malign intent.
Spoken false defamation
- libelPrinted defamation
- smearSpread or defame
- defameHarm reputation falsely
- vilifyAttack someone's reputation
denigrate · disparage · besmirch · calumniate · traduce · impugn · tarnish · blacken
Meaning to do harm
- spitefulWanting to hurt others
- vindictiveSeeking harm from resentment
- venomousProducing injected toxins
- viciousCruelly aggressive in nature
hateful · hostile · ill-willed · mean-spirited · nasty · cruel · bitter · resentful
Causing physical harm
- damagingCausing loss or injury
- destructiveCausing severe harm
- deleteriousCausing harm or damage
- detrimentalCausing harm or damage
pernicious · noxious · baneful · baleful · ruinous · insidious · adverse · hurtful
slander
Spoken false defamation
vilify · denigrate · disparage · besmirch · calumniate · traduce · impugn · tarnish · blacken · sully
malicious
Meaning to do harm
- spitefulWanting to hurt others
- vindictiveSeeking harm from resentment
- venomousProducing injected toxins
vicious · hateful · hostile · ill-willed · mean-spirited · nasty · cruel · bitter · resentful · antagonistic
injurious
Causing physical harm
- damagingCausing loss or injury
- destructiveCausing severe harm
- deleteriousCausing harm or damage
detrimental · pernicious · noxious · baneful · baleful · ruinous · insidious · adverse · hurtful · corrosive
malignsdefends
Acts to protect
vindicates · clears · exonerates · justifies · sets the record straight
- malignant tumorCancerous bodily growth
- malignant cellsHarmful, uncontrolled tissue growth
- malignant narcissismPathological self-love with cruelty
- malignant growthHarmful, spreading tumor
malign, malignant, malignity, maligned, maligning, malignancy, malignantly, malignance, maligners