Badmouthed

To speak unfavorably or disparagingly about someone or something; to criticize or slander. This term often implies malicious intent and can involve spreading rumors or making negative remarks in the absence of the person or entity being discussed. The act of badmouthing damages reputations and can lead to social conflict or reputational harm. It can also involve exaggerations or outright lies to diminish someone's character or achievements. The aim of badmouthing is to either disparage a person's character, or put a person in a position of disrepute.

Badmouthed meaning with examples

• Sarah was furious when she heard her former colleague, Mark, badmouthing her to the new team members, claiming she was incompetent and unreliable. This caused her unnecessary stress and damaged her relationships with her new colleagues. She later confronted him about his behavior, stating he needed to find more professional ways to disagree.
• The politician's campaign strategy involved badmouthing his opponent's past decisions and associating him with scandals, hoping to sway voters through negativity. This strategy was controversial, with many critics pointing out how dishonest and divisive it was. Though very effective in the polls, it showed a lack of respect and professionalism on the politician's part.
• After the breakup, John couldn't stop badmouthing his ex-girlfriend to his friends, embellishing stories to paint her in a negative light and making himself look like the victim. This created a skewed view of the situation for everyone. His friends, while sympathetic, started to tire of the constant negativity.
• The online forum was filled with users badmouthing the new software update, citing its bugs and glitches and criticizing the development team's perceived incompetence. This negative feedback, while partially valid, created an overwhelmingly negative impression and further amplified problems. It eventually lead to many users quitting.
• The celebrity was incensed when the tabloid published an article badmouthing her personal life, filled with fabricated stories. She released a statement vehemently denying all allegations, and suing the media outlet for slander. Her fans rallied in support, criticizing the paparazzi and the publication.