Idiom idiom
libel chill
Meaning
Uneasiness or unwillingness to speak publicly or to write about a matter, as a result of the threat or suggestion of a libel action should one do so.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“The threat of lawsuits causes a libel chill for many journalists.”
“The newspaper refused to publish the investigation, fearing a libel chill from the powerful corporation mentioned in the report.”
“By aggressively threatening litigation against every critic, the firm successfully created a libel chill that silenced public debate on their controversial business practices.”
Anchors to
Last updated August 10, 2026