a kick in the teeth
noun phrase
informal
: something that is very shocking and disappointing
Losing that game was a real kick in the teeth.
Examples of a kick in the teeth in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Your reward for beating it, though, feels like a kick in the teeth.
—
Dan Perry, Newsweek, 13 Feb. 2025
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Dan Perry, Newsweek, 13 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“A kick in the teeth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20kick%20in%20the%20teeth. Accessed 17 Jul. 2025.
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