as in disparagement
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as in dismissing
to express scornfully one's low opinion of
she promptly bad-mouthed that awful movie to everyone she knew
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bad-mouthing
Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Most of the people who were bad-mouthing Titanic had not seen so much as a minute of film.
—Stacy Lambe, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 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
Verb
At one point, Brown stepped away from the set, and co-stars Antoni Porowski, Tan France and Jonathan van Ness began bad-mouthing him behind his back, while his mom heard the whole conversation, according to TMZ.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Most of the people who were bad-mouthing Titanic had not seen so much as a minute of film.
—Stacy Lambe, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bad-mouthing
Noun
-
Aumann’s complaint alleges fraud, tortious interference and business disparagement and other alleged misdeeds.—
Paul Flahive,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Jan. 2026
-
The disparagement made Knausgaard drop writing for a good ten years.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The company rejected the measure, dismissing Friedmann as a disgruntled ex-convict, but his campaign got widespread attention.—
James Verini,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
-
By dismissing shooters as incomprehensible villains, Peterson says, families and communities may miss warning signs in the young people around them.—
Brit McCandless Farmer,
CBS News,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Be willing to listen to criticism.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Traders landing six-figure payouts associated with the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and the death of Iran's supreme leader drew criticism from lawmakers in Washington and critics of the apps.—
Bobby Allyn,
NPR,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights remain unlit, minimizing the chance of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Astronaut menus are carefully constructed to maximize nutrition and calories while minimizing storage requirements, preparation needs, and the possibility of contamination.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Analysts say Kim's vilification of South Korea reflects his view that Seoul, which helped set up his first meetings with Trump, is no longer a useful intermediary with Washington but an obstacle to his effort to establish a more assertive regional footing.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Feb. 2026
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The man is due to appear before Brisbane Magistrates Court Saturday, to face a raft of charges including wilful damage, serious vilification or hate crime, dangerous driving and possession of a dangerous drug.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Many of the same political leaders directing this war spent years criticizing the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.—
Shawn Vandiver,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have released a number of reports criticizing the Israeli military for failing to provide sufficient evidence for its attacks on Lebanese targets.—
Justin Salhani,
The Dial,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Puerto Rico is missing Francisco Lindor and Carlos Correa due to insurance restrictions, considerably diminishing their firepower, but have solid pitching and the advantage of playing at home in their group stage.—
J.J. Bailey,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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Palomar’s 48 partner agencies are similarly affected by diminishing VOCA funds.—
Maddy Keyes,
The Frontier,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The watchdog agency’s panel recommended Friday that the costs of the proceedings be taxed against Peffer, in addition to the 30-day suspension, public reprimand and fine.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Feb. 2026
-
If the justices uphold the public reprimand, which is the harshest sanction available, Givens would not be allowed to serve as a visiting judge.—
Jane Harper,
Dallas Morning News,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bad-mouthing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bad-mouthing. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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