bad-mouth

verb

ˈbad-ˌmau̇th 

-ˌmau̇t͟h

bad-mouthed; bad-mouthing; bad-mouths

transitive verb

: to criticize severely

Synonyms

• belittle
• cry down
• decry
• denigrate
• deprecate
• depreciate
• derogate
• diminish
• dis [slang]
• diss
• discount
• dismiss
• disparage
• kiss off
• minimize
• play down
• poor-mouth
• put down
• run down
• talk down
• trash
• trash-talk
• vilipend
• write off

Examples of bad-mouth in a Sentence

she promptly bad-mouthed that awful movie to everyone she knew

Recent Examples on the Web

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

Word History

First Known Use

1941, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

bad-mouth

verb

-ˌmau̇th,

-ˈmaut͟h

: to say bad things about