slander

Slander is a type of defamation that involves making false, spoken statements about someone that harm their reputation. Essentially, it’s when an individual or group intentionally—or sometimes even negligently—utters untrue remarks that damage another person’s character or standing within a community .

Legally, slander is distinguished from libel in that it refers specifically to damaging statements made verbally, rather than in a written or otherwise published form. For a statement to be legally recognized as slander, it typically must meet several criteria: the statement must be false, communicated to a third party, and cause a measurable harm, whether financially, emotionally, or socially. In many jurisdictions, the burden is on the person claiming slander to prove that the remarks led to a quantifiable loss or injury .

The concept of slander underscores the power words have in shaping public opinion and personal reputations. While a single wrongful remark might seem fleeting, its cumulative effect can be devastating, which is why legal systems provide remedies—usually through civil lawsuits—to address and mitigate the damage caused by such spoken defamation .