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 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 The neighbor's negative response—bad-mouthing OP to others—reflects an entitlement mindset, Sprowl noted. — Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 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
  • China refused to participate in the arbitration and has not fully complied with the ruling, causing some commentators to dismiss the significance of the case.
    — Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
  • Beth Arbuckle and Wells Fargo agreed to dismiss the December 2024 case filed in federal court for the Western District of North Carolina, according to a joint stipulation filed Friday.
    — Chase Jordan July 30, Charlotte Observer, 30 July 2026
Definition of dismiss
Verb
  • While retinol on its own can be irritating, especially on sensitive skin, applying it as a moisturizer can help minimize irritation and soothe the skin—a genius product, IMO.
    — Anna Traver, InStyle, 31 July 2026
  • The point is not to minimize every token, just as manufacturers do not minimize every raw material.
    — Dr. Suresh Rajappa, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of minimize
Verb
  • McKenzie hasn’t shied away from criticizing celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Matt Damon who have made money hawking cryptocurrency companies in ads.
    — Brent Lang, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The powerful Florida Sheriff’s Association is the latest group to criticize the November ballot measure to roll back property taxes, joining what has been a drumbeat of opposition from law enforcement and first responder organizations.
    — Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of criticize
Verb
  • One thing that might be over — or at least greatly diminished — will be submissions for the supporting acting categories for limited series/movie next year if the academy makes this revision permanent.
    — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Errors damaged trust and diminished influence whether or not the robot was expressive.
    — Yigit Topoglu, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of diminish
Verb
  • According to Grisham’s complaint, their agreement prohibited either party from making disparaging statements.
    — Diana Paulsen, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The Cockroach movement – named in the wake of a disparaging comment India’s chief justice made about unemployed youth – is now taking a breather, preparing, its leaders say, to throw its weight behind other issues affecting young Indians.
    — Aakash Hassan, Christian Science Monitor, 30 July 2026
Definition of disparage
Verb
  • These are useful qualities, evolutionarily, but also ones that encourage us to take the extraordinary and very quickly denigrate it as mundane.
    — Adrienne LaFrance, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Paul has backed the theory that the coronavirus emerged from a lab, and has accused Fauci and other top officials of publicly downplaying and denigrating that theory, especially in the early days of the pandemic.
    — Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 29 July 2026
Definition of denigrate
Verb
  • Lestat is treated as unworthy of Akasha’s (Sheila Atim) blood and his choice to turn Louis is belittled by the table because Louis was a pimp.
    — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • The women on that team didn’t ask to be the butt of a locker room joke, belittled by the President of the United States, no less.
    — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 16 July 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 Aug. 2026.

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