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Showing results for personal attack.

personal attack

NOUN
character assassination
Synonyms
WEAK
ad hominem blackening dirty politics dirty pool dirty tricks hatchet job muckraking mudslinging name-calling slanderous attack smear smear campaign
NOUN
smear campaign
Synonyms
WEAK
character assassination defamation defamation of character dirty politics dirty pool dragging one's name through the mud injury of reputation malicious defamation mudslinging negative campaign negative campaigning slander whispering campaign

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Mr. Mamdani provoked it by using a malicious, personal attack to promote his pied-à-terre tax.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

My school uniform sweater suddenly bunched in ways that felt like a personal attack.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2025

Mr Dyson told court the article was "a personal attack on all that I have done and achieved in my lifetime and is highly distressing and hurtful".

From BBC • Dec. 1, 2023

“That was just such a personal attack, to attack where my parents were raised,” she said, stifling tears.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 15, 2023

“Now, who can give an example of something that would be a personal attack, of what you shouldn’t do?”

From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden