Detraction, backbiting, calumny, slander, scandal are comparable when they denote either the offense of one who defames another or casts aspersions upon him or what is uttered by way of defamation or aspersion.
Detraction stresses the injurious effect of what is said and the loss through it of something (as the esteem of others or his credit, his deserts, or even his good name) precious to the person affected.
Backbiting imputes both furtiveness and spitefulness to the one who asperses or defames; it suggests an unfair, mean, and cowardly attack when the victim is absent and unable to defend himself.
Calumny stresses malicious misrepresentation; it therefore implies that the detractor is a liar and that his intent is to blacken another’s name.
Slander (for legal use, see MALIGN) stresses the dissemination of calumnies, especially those of a highly defamatory character; thus, a person who is given to calumny is prone to malicious misrepresentation of the acts, the motives, or the character of others; a person who is given to slander is prone to repeat calumnies or defamatory reports without ascertaining or with complete indifference to their truth or falsehood.
Scandal (see also OFFENSE, DISGRACE) usually suggests the activity of a gossip, especially of an idle, irresponsible gossip (a scandalmonger), who spreads abroad shocking details, whether true or untrue, that reflect discredit on another or that tend to tarnish or blacken his reputation.