What does "smear campaign" mean?

An effort to damage or call into question someone's reputation, by propounding negative propaganda.

Smear campaign

Common synonyms include: assassination, besmirching, character assassination, defamation, mccarthyism, muckraking.

noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
An effort to damage or call into question someone's reputation, by propounding negative propaganda. idiomatic
"His opponent said it was all a smear campaign to make him look bad in the eyes of the voters."

"His opponent said it was all a smear campaign to make him look bad in the eyes of the voters."