Kompromat is damaging information about a person or a group, commonly a politician, businessperson, or other public figure, which may be used to create negative publicity, as well as for blackmail purposes, often to exert influence rather than monetary gain, and extortion. Kompromat may be acquired from various security services, or outright forged, and then publicized, e.g., via a public relations official.

(Russian: компромат, IPA: [kəmprɐˈmat], short for компрометирующий материал, variously translated as “compromising material”, “discrediting material”, or “incriminating material”)