bum rap
noun
informal
1
US
: an unfair claim that someone has committed a crime or done something wrong
The defendant was sent to jail on a bum rap.
2
chiefly US
: a criticism or bad opinion that is not deserved or fair
The teenagers say they've all gotten a bum rap because one person damaged some property.
She thinks motorboats get a bum rap from environmentalists.
He was given a bum rap by reviewers.
Examples of bum rap in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Newsom can be fairly criticized for many things he’s done or not done over the last five years, but this one is a bum rap.
—
Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 6 July 2024
Electric cars have been getting a bum rap lately for a variety of reasons, most notably their premium prices, cold-weather battery range and the unfortunate state of public charging.
—Jim Gorzelany, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Make the Freezer Your Friend Frozen food has gotten a bum rap, but all frozen food need not be equated only with TV Dinners and petrified pizza.
—Melissa Breyer, Treehugger, 5 June 2023
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 6 July 2024
Electric cars have been getting a bum rap lately for a variety of reasons, most notably their premium prices, cold-weather battery range and the unfortunate state of public charging.
—Jim Gorzelany, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Make the Freezer Your Friend Frozen food has gotten a bum rap, but all frozen food need not be equated only with TV Dinners and petrified pizza.
—Melissa Breyer, Treehugger, 5 June 2023
Dictionary Entries Near bum rap
Cite this Entry
“Bum rap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bum%20rap. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.
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