word-of-mouth

1 of 2

adjective

Synonyms of word-of-mouthnext
: orally communicated
also : generated from or reliant on oral publicity
word-of-mouth customers
a word-of-mouth business

word of mouth

2 of 2

noun phrase

: oral communication
especially : oral often inadvertent publicity

Synonyms of word-of-mouth

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
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Adjective
The film opened ahead of Christmas with a modest $19 million in North America and then remained a draw well into the new year, thanks to positive reviews and word-of-mouth. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 28 Jan. 2026 The couple also say Café Bastille has earned word-of-mouth buzz — commenters rave about it constantly on food groups — for their famously large portions that keep pace with viral trends. Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026
Noun phrase
Case studies, operational metrics, and most importantly, word of mouth, lower trust barriers far more effectively than explanations of how the system thinks. Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026 Because of the limitations that remained on outside communication and the internet, most of us in Mashhad were still getting our information from state media, opposition satellite channels, and word of mouth. Davood Moradian, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for word-of-mouth

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1817, in the meaning defined above

Noun Phrase

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of word-of-mouth was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Word-of-mouth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/word-of-mouth. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

word of mouth

: spoken communication
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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