Which term best describes a false spoken statement intended to damage someone's reputation?

• A. Slander
• B. Unethical
• C. Addiction
• D. Physical dependence

Answer: (A)

Slander means a false spoken statement about someone that is intended to damage their reputation. That exact combination of being untrue, spoken aloud, and aimed at harming how others view the person is what makes it the right term here.

Think of slander as a form of defamation that happens with words, not with writing—that distinction is why it fits this prompt more precisely than the other options. The word “unethical” describes behavior that isn’t morally right, but it doesn’t specify false statements or intent to harm someone’s reputation. Addiction and physical dependence refer to physiological or psychological reliance on a substance or behavior, which isn’t related to making harmful spoken claims about someone.