to defame
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to defame
To deliberately damage a person's reputation through malicious gossip, slander, or the spread of negative, often untrue claims.
Die politische Kampagne versuchte, den Gegenkandidaten öffentlich zu diffamieren.
The political campaign tried to publicly defame the opposing candidate.
Verbs that end in '-ieren' often come from other languages. They are conjugated regularly and form the past participle without the prefix 'ge-'.
Er wurde in der Presse stark diffamiert.
He was heavily defamed in the press.
The verb 'diffamieren' (to defame) always requires an accusative object. You ask: Whom or what is being defamed?
Die Zeitung versuchte, den Politiker mit falschen Anschuldigungen zu diffamieren.
The newspaper tried to defame the politician with false accusations.
'Diffamieren' (to defame) is a word of elevated written language. It is often found in news reports, political discussions, or legal contexts.
Der Anwalt warf der Gegenseite vor, seinen Mandanten gezielt zu diffamieren.
The lawyer accused the opposing side of deliberately defaming his client.
to insult
'beleidigen' and 'diffamieren' both have to do with hurtful statements about a person. 'beleidigen' usually means direct disrespectful words or behavior that personally offends someone. 'diffamieren' is more targeted and stronger: someone damages a person's reputation, often publicly and through negative or untrue claims. Learners may confuse the words because both are negative. In practice: a single rude remark insults someone; a campaign with rumors or lies defames someone.
In dem Artikel wurde die Politikerin mit falschen Vorwürfen diffamiert.
In the article, the politician was defamed with false accusations.
Herr Krüger beleidigt den Kellner, weil er sich über die lange Wartezeit ärgert.
Mr. Krüger insults the waiter because he is annoyed about the long wait.