rumormonger
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A person who habitually spreads rumors, gossip, or unverified personal information about others.
Usage
The word "rumormonger" is used to describe someone who actively collects and disseminates rumors, often with a negative connotation implying that the person is untrustworthy, meddlesome, or enjoys causing drama. It is a compound noun formed from "rumor" and "monger" (a dealer or trader).
Examples
- The office rumormonger was always the first to know about any potential staff changes and made sure everyone else heard about them.
- She was labeled a rumormonger after falsely spreading stories about her neighbors.
- Politicians often accuse the tabloid press of being nothing more than rumormongers.
Advanced Usage
- "To be accused of being a rumormonger": This is a common construction where someone is charged with the act of spreading rumors.
- He was accused of being a rumormonger who was poisoning the community's trust.
Variants and Related Words
- Rumormongering (noun): The act or practice of spreading rumors.
- The rumormongering in the small town made it difficult to know what was true.
- Gossipmonger (noun): A very close synonym, often used interchangeably with "rumormonger."
- Scandalmonger (noun): A person who spreads scandalous rumors.
Synonyms
- Gossip
- Busybody
- Talebearer
- Whisperer
Related Idioms and Phrases
- To monger rumors/fear/panic: This uses the "-monger" suffix with other nouns to describe someone who promotes or trades in a particular, usually negative, thing.
- He was a fearmonger who used misinformation to control people. (Note: This is listed here as a related construction, not as a direct use of the target word "rumormonger").
Noun
- a person given to gossiping and divulging personal information about others