badmouth
3 synonyms for badmouth, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To criticize or speak ill of someone, often unfairly or behind their back.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use badmouth
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
badmouth someone
badmouth a company
Informal; more common in speech than in formal writing.
Etymology
Believed to be a loan translation of a West African expression for harmful gossip, which entered English through the Gullah language of the American South.
Full origin of badmouth →Frequently asked questions
What does “badmouth” mean?
The word “badmouth” means to criticize or speak ill of someone, often unfairly or behind their back. In plain terms, to talk negatively about someone, usually to damage their reputation.
How do you pronounce “badmouth”?
“Badmouth” is pronounced BAD-mowth (/ˈbæd.maʊθ/ in IPA).
How do you use “badmouth” in a sentence?
Here is “badmouth” used in a sentence: “She never badmouths her coworkers, even when they annoy her.”
What part of speech is “badmouth”?
“Badmouth” is a verb.
