: orally communicated
also
: generated from or reliant on oral publicity
word-of-mouth customers
a word-of-mouth business
: oral communication
especially
: oral often inadvertent publicity
Examples of word-of-mouth in a Sentence
Adjective
not having the money to run ads, the restaurant relies on word-of-mouth publicity
Recent Examples on the Web
The Editors, Curbed, 16 Apr. 2026
Costco has been a big beneficiary, thriving on word-of-mouth marketing by happy customers.
—Laura Layden, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
That word of mouth method is working in the most new school way.
—Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for word-of-mouth
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
Go off word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and neighbors, and check that the breeder is AKC registered.
—The Editors, Curbed, 16 Apr. 2026
Costco has been a big beneficiary, thriving on word-of-mouth marketing by happy customers.
—Laura Layden, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Noun phrase
Their unpermitted April 2021 show at Lafayette Park in Westlake, publicized through social media and word of mouth, drew thousands of pent-up punks and kids looking for somewhere to go during the shutdown.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
That word of mouth method is working in the most new school way.
—Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for word-of-mouth
Cite this Entry
“Word-of-mouth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/word-of-mouth. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
