defamatory

adjective

there were defamatory statements in the book:

libelous, slanderous, defaming, calumnious, calumniatory, vilifying, traducing, scandalous, scandalmongering, malicious, vicious, backbiting, muckraking, abusive, maledictory, maledictive;

disparaging, denigratory, detracting, derogatory, censorious, critical;

insulting, slurring, injurious;

informal mudslinging, bitchy, catty;

archaic contumelious.

▷antonyms complimentary.