(n.) Act of injuring another's reputation by any slanderous communication, written or oral; as, defamation of character\; the wrong of maliciously injuring the good name of another; slander; detraction; calumny; aspersion.

attack backbiting backstabbing belittlement blackening calumny character assassination defamation of character defilement denigration depreciation disparagement malicious defamation muckraking mudslinging name-calling revilement scandal slander smear smear campaign smear word tale vilification