What does libeled mean?
“Libeled” means to publish or make a false statement that harms another person’s reputation. The word is especially associated with statements presented as factual, such as newspaper articles, books, websites, or social-media posts, and it carries a strong implication that the accused person has been unjustly discredited. In ordinary use, it may also refer more broadly to maliciously damaging someone’s good name. Traditional legal usage distinguishes libel from slander: libel involves a defamatory statement communicated in a permanent form, while slander involves an oral or otherwise temporary statement. Modern usage has broadened the term to include defamatory online publications and does not always observe the older legal distinction. The American spelling is “libeled,” while British and much Commonwealth usage commonly writes “libelled.”
verbTo publish or make a statement that falsely damages another person’s reputation. It may also refer to publishing such a statement in a newspaper, book, website, or other permanent form.
- To publish or make a false statement that damages a person’s reputation.
- To make a permanent written or published statement that falsely presents someone as guilty of misconduct or otherwise damages their character.
"The newspaper apologized after its investigation libeled the researcher."
"The false article libeled the politician by accusing him of corruption."
"She argued that the blog post had libeled her business partner and damaged his professional reputation."
A libel is not merely a harsh opinion: at its core, it is a false published statement that harms someone’s reputation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does libeled come from?
The word derives from “libel,” which comes through Old French from Latin libellus, a diminutive of liber meaning “book.” Libellus originally referred to a small book or document and later came to denote a written accusation or defamatory statement. The modern legal sense developed from this history, with “libel” referring to a defamatory publication and the verb meaning to make or publish such a statement.
Related word forms
How libeled is actually used
In general use, the term can apply to defamatory published statements beyond print media, including online posts. The spelling “libelled” is standard in British and much Commonwealth usage. Although the traditional legal distinction between libel and slander remains important in some contexts, modern usage often treats libel as the general verb for publishing damaging falsehoods.
Easily confused with libeled
In traditional legal usage, libel specifically concerns a defamatory statement published in a permanent form, whereas slander concerns one made orally or through another temporary medium.