smear campaign
smear campaign
noun
a campaign to tarnish the reputation of a public figure, especially by vilification or innuendo.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To smear campaign
Dictionary.com's 21st Century Lexicon
| 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 |
00:10
Smear campaign
is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
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."
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
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