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
Consistent branding inspires long-term customer loyalty and positive word-of-mouth, both of which support long-term growth. Jessica Wong, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025 The show, which first premiered in 2015, has crossed the ocean in recent years to become a word-of-mouth hit, with fans drawn to its comic hijinks and nonsensical premise. David Sims, The Atlantic, 8 May 2025
Noun phrase
But a lot of the movie’s success was also down to word of mouth. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 20 May 2025 That’s how dominant the author has been in the publishing world, mostly thanks to word of mouth and BookTok. Maggie Fremont, EW.com, 10 May 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 27 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

word of mouth

: spoken communication
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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