badmouth
Definition
Verb: - To speak unfavorably or critically about someone; to criticize, disparage, or slander a person, especially when they are not present.
Usage
The verb "badmouth" is used to describe the act of saying negative or harmful things about another person. It implies a deliberate attempt to damage someone's reputation or standing. It is often used in informal contexts. - It is typically followed by a direct object (the person being criticized). - It can be used in various tenses (e.g., badmouths, badmouthed, badmouthing).
Examples
Advanced Usage
- "to badmouth someone behind their back": This phrase emphasizes that the criticism is done secretly, without the person's knowledge.
- It's cowardly to badmouth someone behind their back instead of addressing issues directly.
Variants and Related Words
- Bad-mouth (verb): An alternative spelling with a hyphen.
- Disparage (verb): To represent as being of little worth; to belittle. (More formal synonym)
- Defame (verb): To damage the good reputation of someone; to slander or libel. (More formal and serious)
- Backbite (verb): To speak maliciously about someone who is not present. (Close synonym, slightly more literary)
Synonyms
- Slander (verb): To make false and damaging statements about someone.
- Criticize (verb): To indicate the faults of someone or something in a disapproving way. (Can be less malicious than "badmouth")
- Run down (phrasal verb): To criticize someone or something unfairly.
- Malign (verb): To speak about someone in a spitefully critical manner.
Related Phrasal Verbs/Idioms
- Run someone/something down: To criticize someone or something severely and often unfairly.
- He's always running down his hometown.
- Speak ill of: A more formal phrase meaning to say bad things about someone.
- It is wrong to speak ill of the dead.
Verb
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speak unfavorably about
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She badmouths her husband everywhere
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