body-shaming
noun
body-sham·ing
ˈbä-dē-ˌshā-miŋ 
variants
or body shaming
: the act or practice of subjecting someone to criticism or mockery for supposed bodily faults or imperfections
Far from being isolated incidents, these jokes … only highlight the fact that body-shaming is very much a problem among men as well as women, with public figures deemed "fair game" when it comes to criticisms of their appearance.—
Philip Ellis
Philip Ellis
body-shaming
adjective
body-shaming comments
body-shaming bullies
Examples of body-shaming in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The exchange prompted accusations of misgendering and body-shaming on social media.
—Mikey O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The American Pie star has previously slammed some of the body-shaming she’s gotten over the years.
—Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 25 Oct. 2023
Kate Winslet is unafraid of nude scenes despite body-shaming she's experienced in her career.
—Caroline Thayer, Fox News, 12 Sep. 2023
The Australian singer acknowledged the criticism and opened up about his personal experiences with body-shaming in a Billboard interview that came out Tuesday.
—Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2023
Their allegations include berating, mocking, excluding, body-shaming and punishing them.
—Nanette Asimov, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Apr. 2023
Older audience members familiar with the movie reacted with cheers to lines from the film, but Fey and lyricist Benjamin updated the book to feature more contemporary and grown-up issues, with references to social media bullying, opioid abuse, body-shaming and teachers preying on students.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2023
In a quote tweet of Bertinelli's post, Clarkson, who has been a victim of body-shaming and is very open about it, shared her thoughts on the matter, and on Bertinelli's reaction to the comment.
—Carrie Wittmer, Glamour, 22 Feb. 2023
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Mikey O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The American Pie star has previously slammed some of the body-shaming she’s gotten over the years.
—Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 25 Oct. 2023
Kate Winslet is unafraid of nude scenes despite body-shaming she's experienced in her career.
—Caroline Thayer, Fox News, 12 Sep. 2023
The Australian singer acknowledged the criticism and opened up about his personal experiences with body-shaming in a Billboard interview that came out Tuesday.
—Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2023
Their allegations include berating, mocking, excluding, body-shaming and punishing them.
—Nanette Asimov, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Apr. 2023
Older audience members familiar with the movie reacted with cheers to lines from the film, but Fey and lyricist Benjamin updated the book to feature more contemporary and grown-up issues, with references to social media bullying, opioid abuse, body-shaming and teachers preying on students.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2023
In a quote tweet of Bertinelli's post, Clarkson, who has been a victim of body-shaming and is very open about it, shared her thoughts on the matter, and on Bertinelli's reaction to the comment.
—Carrie Wittmer, Glamour, 22 Feb. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'body-shaming.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1996, in the meaning defined above
Articles Related to body-shaming
Dictionary Entries Near body-shaming
Cite this Entry
“Body-shaming.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/body-shaming. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.
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