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
Gaines took aim at Biles for her stance as an idol for so many young female athletes and also called out the Olympian for body-shaming her.
—Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
After Ndlovu revealed plans to reverse her BBL due to public criticism, some accused Walker of body-shaming.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 4 Aug. 2025
TikTok reactions to the patently insane things Tyra Banks said and did — including casual body-shaming, screaming her head off at a contestant, and pretending to faint during a taping — regularly go viral.
—Emily Palmer Heller, Vulture, 9 July 2025
Social media is a complex environment that presents both opportunities and threats for adolescents, with self-expression and emotional support on the one hand and body-shaming, cyberbullying and addictive behaviors on the other.
—Abdulmalik Alluhidan, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2025
The 27-year-old’s Instagram has now been flooded with criticism, however, after Swedish news outlet Aftonbladet produced a report on widespread bullying and body-shaming at Djerf Avenue.
—Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Dec. 2024
Knightly's example demonstrates the pendulum swing of body-shaming.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
When body image woes come wrapped in a bow
Giving a fitness gift this holiday season can come across as body-shaming, a not-so-subtle message that a person’s body isn’t good enough, eating disorder experts say.
—Andrew Torgan, CNN, 2 Dec. 2024
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Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
After Ndlovu revealed plans to reverse her BBL due to public criticism, some accused Walker of body-shaming.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 4 Aug. 2025
TikTok reactions to the patently insane things Tyra Banks said and did — including casual body-shaming, screaming her head off at a contestant, and pretending to faint during a taping — regularly go viral.
—Emily Palmer Heller, Vulture, 9 July 2025
Social media is a complex environment that presents both opportunities and threats for adolescents, with self-expression and emotional support on the one hand and body-shaming, cyberbullying and addictive behaviors on the other.
—Abdulmalik Alluhidan, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2025
The 27-year-old’s Instagram has now been flooded with criticism, however, after Swedish news outlet Aftonbladet produced a report on widespread bullying and body-shaming at Djerf Avenue.
—Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Dec. 2024
Knightly's example demonstrates the pendulum swing of body-shaming.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
When body image woes come wrapped in a bow
Giving a fitness gift this holiday season can come across as body-shaming, a not-so-subtle message that a person’s body isn’t good enough, eating disorder experts say.
—Andrew Torgan, CNN, 2 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Body-shaming.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/body-shaming. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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