as in to dismiss
to express scornfully one's low opinion of
she promptly bad-mouthed that awful movie to everyone she knew
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Recent Examples of bad-mouth
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
The neighbor's negative response—bad-mouthing OP to others—reflects an entitlement mindset, Sprowl noted.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025
The vulnerable Mayfair he’s sent to woo is new character Moira, who’s been getting on everybody’s nerves by bad-mouthing Lasher for second-degree murdering her sister Tessa.
—Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 5 Jan. 2025
Apparently, Sue has been putting all of her time not already occupied by bad-mouthing Kyle into digging under rocks and cliffs looking for idols.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 5 Dec. 2024
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
John Legend isn't about to let anyone bad-mouth the people in his hometown of Springfield, Ohio.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 13 Sep. 2024
He was eventually allowed in — but only after other SEALs threatened to leave and bad-mouth the bar.
—Brian Murphy, Washington Post, 21 June 2024
Sabatini, a former state rep, has kissed up slavishly to Donald Trump, often by repeatedly bad-mouthing fellow Republicans — including Ron DeSantis — in an effort to curry favor with the former president.
—Scott Maxwell, Orlando Sentinel, 17 June 2024
Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
The neighbor's negative response—bad-mouthing OP to others—reflects an entitlement mindset, Sprowl noted.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025
The vulnerable Mayfair he’s sent to woo is new character Moira, who’s been getting on everybody’s nerves by bad-mouthing Lasher for second-degree murdering her sister Tessa.
—Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 5 Jan. 2025
Apparently, Sue has been putting all of her time not already occupied by bad-mouthing Kyle into digging under rocks and cliffs looking for idols.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 5 Dec. 2024
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
John Legend isn't about to let anyone bad-mouth the people in his hometown of Springfield, Ohio.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 13 Sep. 2024
He was eventually allowed in — but only after other SEALs threatened to leave and bad-mouth the bar.
—Brian Murphy, Washington Post, 21 June 2024
Sabatini, a former state rep, has kissed up slavishly to Donald Trump, often by repeatedly bad-mouthing fellow Republicans — including Ron DeSantis — in an effort to curry favor with the former president.
—Scott Maxwell, Orlando Sentinel, 17 June 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bad-mouth
Verb
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The charge was dismissed after Baldwin's attorneys alleged prosecutors had withheld evidence.—
Sharareh Drury,
People.com,
30 Apr. 2025
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With punching bags Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle in the frontcourt, the Wolves were dismissed as legitimate opponents for the mighty purple and gold.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Verb
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In this case, following a low-FODMAP diet, which cuts out certain carbs that tend to create more gas and fluid in your GI tract, can minimize pressure on your intestines and the painful bloaty feeling that comes with it.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Use plants well within your hardiness zone to minimize the risk of losing a full-grown hedge to atypical freezes.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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She was criticized by some for her expensive timepiece and for using prisoners as production props.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
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Carey criticized laissez-faire economics for degrading the British working class.—
Made by History,
Time,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, a more constrained and domestically focused healthcare agenda is likely to diminish trust in federal health agencies, limit access to culturally competent care and produce a loss of global leadership in health innovation.—
Robert Pearl,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025
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Whereas a decline in home values diminishes the equity investors might hold in their properties, which limits their ability to leverage assets for additional investments or refinancing opportunities.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
Verb
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And his record was disparaged by some of the more conservative cardinals and members of the Church.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2025
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In areas as disparate as education and international sports, authoritarian governments and their allies in media work to stigmatize liberal ideas, disparage the record of Western democracy, and offer visions of a post-liberal order led by China and others in its orbit.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Respecting, not denigrating the institutions designed to defend American democracy is one of the most important.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
24 Apr. 2025
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Superpower Weaponry One of the things that makes America truly exceptional throughout the world—its core principle of assimilating immigrants who strive for a safer, freer life—has been denigrated for the sake of short-term political gain.—
Penny Abeywardena,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
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His views have won him some high-profile enemies, and conservative Cardinal Gerhard Muller memorably turned on him in 2022, belittling his academic profile and accusing him of going against Catholic doctrine.—
Philip Pullella, Crispian Balmer, Alvise Armellini, Joshua McElwee and Chris Scicluna,
USA Today,
21 Apr. 2025
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Think Regina George in Mean Girls, Blair Waldorf in Gossip Girl, or Cher Horowitz in Clueless—characters who derive power from their ability to belittle and exclude.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bad-mouth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bad-mouth. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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