Words similar to slander

Example sentences for: slander

How can you use “slander” in a sentence? Here are some example sentences to help you improve your vocabulary:

Of course I don't believe Bill Gates ordered you to slander Java!
If Starr had similarly sued Blumenthal for libel or slander instead of calling him before the grand jury (where, among other things, you're not entitled to have a lawyer present during questioning), we'd have a different story on our hands.
The GOP leaders suggested that "the White House or its allies" were engaged in "an organized campaign of slander and intimidation" that was "no different than threatening jurors to change their verdicts in organized crime trials."
It is possible to defame people over the net, and to do so far and wide: The problem of multi-jurisdiction squabbles over libel and slander does not disappear It is possible to blackmail people over the net, as well.
I guess my question is: How do I distinguish "sanctioned" gossip from regular old slander?