bad-mouth

verb

ˈbad-ˌmau̇th How to pronounce bad-mouth (audio)
Definition of bad-mouthnext
as in to dismiss
to express scornfully one's low opinion of she promptly bad-mouthed that awful movie to everyone she knew

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bad-mouth This is not some glossy revisionist history of a person’s life; the man had a beautiful soul who didn’t have it in him to bad-mouth a cockroach. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Sep. 2025 Ranting on LinkedIn and bad-mouthing your ex-employer or naming and shaming your last negative recruitment experience won’t help you either. — Rachel Wells, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025 This was a departure from Mourinho and Conte, who both moaned about investment, attacked the club culture, exited unceremoniously, and bad-mouthed them afterward. — Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025 Leading up to the premiere of It Ends With Us last year, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni reached an uneasy truce in which it was agreed that neither side would bad-mouth the other to the press. — Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bad-mouth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bad-mouth
  1. dismiss
  2. minimize
  3. criticize
  4. diminish
  5. disparage
  6. denigrate
  7. belittle
Verb
  • Bacelar disputed the accusations and said the lawsuit is filled with recycled claims that were previously litigated and dismissed.
    — Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Tyreek Hill was also a polarizing receiver who faced a 2014 domestic assault case that was dismissed and a 2019 child abuse probe, though no charges were filed.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of dismiss
Verb
  • While any sunscreen stick can shift your foundation or blush a bit, this one's smooth, almost primer-like texture helps minimize tugging.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 28 Oct. 2026
  • That’s not to minimize any of these genres in the comparison, or to give any time to the laughable claim that escapist fiction is low-brow, reductive fare.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of minimize
Verb
  • Piker is staunchly opposed to Israel and has been criticized for his comments about Jewish Americans.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 3 Nov. 2026
  • He has also been criticized by some in the community for past remarks regarding a Michigan synagogue attack and for appearances with controversial streamer Hasan Piker.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of criticize
Verb
  • Except in the extreme, legislators are loath to devalue local autonomy while also prioritizing delivery of state aid to diminish local tax burdens.
    — David Bloomfield, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2026
  • While rain chances will diminish, clouds will hang tough through much of the day, and northeast winds will pick up slightly to 5 to 10 mph.
    — Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of diminish
Verb
  • His disparaging comments bemoaning the lack of financial support of UConn football by the state, UConn and Pratt & Whitney were totally unwarranted.
    — Letters to the Editor, Hartford Courant, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Trump has similarly disparaged other federal judges who have ruled against his interests.
    — Miles J. Zaremski, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of disparage
Verb
  • Miller, who prosecuted the case back in 2004 and 2005, sent Fernandez Rundle texts questioning her office’s handling of the case and denigrating the judge presiding over Smith’s resentencing.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Eight months later during an appearance on a Cincinnati radio station, Huggins used a homophobic slur to refer to Xavier fans while also denigrating Catholics.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of denigrate
Verb
  • For the past three to four years, several former Black players comfortably expressed belittling views of White players.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • In 2015, she was suspended for a week after a video surfaced of her yelling at and belittling a towing company employee.
    — Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of belittle

Browse Nearby Words

badly
bad-mouth
bad-mouthed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bad-mouth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bad-mouth. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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