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
Behind a nondescript set of gates in Clerkenwell, the studio and home of Patrik Fredrikson and Ian Stallard has always operated a bit like a word-of-mouth secret among the creative set. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2026 But at the very least, the YouTube release caused excitement and word-of-mouth anticipation for the official March 13 release. Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2026
Noun phrase
When ‘Going Viral’ Meant Something Different Without algorithms pushing content, viral videos in 2006 spread purely through word of mouth and link sharing. Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 23 Mar. 2026 The Sat to Fri increase was +60%, showing strong word of mouth. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 22 Mar. 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 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

word of mouth

: spoken communication
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