1. the act or practice of making false and damaging statements about someone; slander or defamation
Usage: formal or literary; often used in legal or rhetorical contexts

Examples

• The politician accused his opponent of calumniation during the debate.
• She filed a lawsuit against the newspaper for calumniation of her character.
• The article was full of calumniation and lacked any factual basis.
• He defended himself against the calumniation by presenting evidence of his innocence.
• Calumniation has long been considered a serious offense in many legal systems.
• The witness's testimony was dismissed as mere calumniation designed to harm the defendant.