word-of-mouth

1 of 2

adjective

: 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

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
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
The film built momentum through word-of-mouth, growing its audience for eight straight weeks, with repeat customers accounting for over 80% of total box office as viewers returned to experience different narrative branches. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025 Long reliant on spreadsheets and word-of-mouth recommendations, these properties are now leaning on artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline operations, sharpen pricing and keep their personal touch while staying competitive in a crowded market. Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun phrase
Blending lavish production values, emotional storytelling and a strong female ensemble, the series has fuelled strong word of mouth both domestically and internationally. Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 7 Oct. 2025 That’s the power of word of mouth. Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2025 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 21 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

word of mouth

: spoken communication
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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