word-of-mouth

1 of 2

adjective

ˌwərd-ə(v)-ˈmau̇th 

: 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

Adjective

• oral
• verbal

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

Adjective

The show was well-liked by critics with an 81% Rotten Tomatoes score, so if season 2 is as good or better, that could spread word-of-mouth and help out. — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026

The restaurant has survived mostly by word-of-mouth, Quintana said, quite a feat in today’s restaurant landscape, and its simplicity is a stand-out feature among Kansas Citians. — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026

Noun phrase

Dadiba Pundole, who owns one of Mumbai’s oldest commercial art spaces, Pundole Art Gallery, and is recognized for his expertise on Indian modernism, believes that a lack of scholarship has led to a reliance on word of mouth. — News Desk, Artforum, 20 Aug. 2026

When the experience itself is the acquisition engine and the driver of word of mouth, with more than 300,000 five-star reviews today, what is the purpose of the marketing team? — Dave Knox, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1817, in the meaning defined above

Noun Phrase

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

word of mouth

: spoken communication