Definition

Noun: - The act or practice of spreading personal, often sensational or private, information about other people through conversation. It refers to engaging in or the characteristic of being a gossipmonger—someone who habitually spreads rumors or talks about the personal affairs of others.

Usage

• Used to describe the activity or behavior of sharing unverified, personal details about individuals, typically in a secretive or malicious manner.
• Often carries a negative connotation, implying idleness, intrusion, or harm.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• "to engage in gossipmongering": to actively participate in spreading gossip.
  • He was accused of engaging in gossipmongering to undermine his colleague's reputation.

Variants and Related Words

• Gossipmonger (n): a person who habitually spreads gossip.
  • The town's main gossipmonger knew everyone's business.
• Gossip (n/v): the informal talk or the act of talking about other people's private lives.
  • The tabloids are full of celebrity gossip.

Synonyms

• Rumor-mongering: spreading unconfirmed reports or stories.
• Tattling: reporting someone's wrongdoings or secrets, especially in a childish context.
• Tittle-tattle: idle chatter or gossip.

Antonyms

• Discretion: the quality of being careful about what one says to avoid causing offense or revealing secrets.
• Confidentiality: the state of keeping information private or secret.

Noun

1. a conversation that spreads personal information about other people