name-calling
noun
name-call·ing
ˈnām-ˌkȯ-liŋ 
: the use of offensive names especially to win an argument or to induce rejection or condemnation (as of a person or project) without objective consideration of the facts
Examples of name-calling in a Sentence
the campaign quickly degenerated into name-calling rather than an intelligent discussion of the issues
Recent Examples on the Web
Ivins gleefully chronicled legislators’ fistfights, shoving matches, name-calling, and double-crossing.
—
Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
Trump has also threatened to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell, often taunting him with name-calling.
—Alex Veiga, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2025
Trump had previously focused on pressuring Fed Chair Jerome Powell to lower rates through name-calling and termination threats, although the president has since walked back threats to remove the Fed chair.
—Bailey Schulz, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
But while their therapist is horrified by the tension and name-calling before her, going so far as to announce that the Roses are beyond repair, the two can’t help but giggle about the whole thing.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2025
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Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
Trump has also threatened to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell, often taunting him with name-calling.
—Alex Veiga, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2025
Trump had previously focused on pressuring Fed Chair Jerome Powell to lower rates through name-calling and termination threats, although the president has since walked back threats to remove the Fed chair.
—Bailey Schulz, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
But while their therapist is horrified by the tension and name-calling before her, going so far as to announce that the Roses are beyond repair, the two can’t help but giggle about the whole thing.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for name-calling
Cite this Entry
“Name-calling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/name-calling. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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