verb
- attacked the reputation or integrity of someone with false or damaging statements
Usage: formal; past tense of asperse
Examples
- The politician’s character was aspersed by his opponents during the campaign.
- She felt her professional reputation had been unfairly aspersed by the accusations.
- The journalist aspersed the company’s ethics in her investigative report.
- His good name was aspersed by rumors and gossip.
- The witness aspersed the defendant’s credibility during cross-examination.
- Critics aspersed the author’s motives for writing the controversial book.