| a campaign to tarnish the reputation of a public figure, esp. by vilification or innuendo. |
| Main Entry: | smear campaign |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | a strategy to discredit a person, esp. a public figure, through disparaging remarks or false accusations |
smear campaign
An attempt to ruin a reputation by slander or vilification, as in This press agent is well known for starting smear campaigns against her clients' major competitors. This phrase was first recorded in 1938 and uses smear in the sense of "an attempt to discredit" or "slander."
