Tale-bearing

Tale-bearing refers to the act of maliciously or indiscreetly relaying private or unfavorable information about someone to another person, often with the intention of causing trouble, damaging reputations, or creating conflict. It involves spreading gossip, rumors, or complaints, regardless of their truthfulness or importance. The core of tale-bearing is the betrayal of trust and the deliberate or careless dissemination of potentially harmful information. It's a behavior rooted in a lack of integrity and can be seen as a form of interpersonal sabotage. This contrasts sharply with open communication and constructive dialogue.

Tale-bearing meaning with examples

• Sarah's office environment deteriorated when a new employee started tale-bearing. She was constantly whispering complaints and spreading negative information about colleagues to the manager, creating an atmosphere of distrust. The team's collaboration suffered, and productivity dropped significantly, as everyone became wary of what they said or did, fearing their words would be twisted and relayed.
• During the neighborhood potluck, Emily found herself embroiled in a tale-bearing saga. Mrs. Gable's comments about the Johnsons' noisy parties were passed along to the Johnsons by another neighbor. This created an awkward rift between the families, leaving Emily regretful that she was even vaguely involved in the rumor mill, even though she didn't initiate the discussion.
• The political scandal unfolded because a disgruntled aide engaged in excessive tale-bearing. He leaked internal emails and personal details about the politician's private life to the media, hoping to damage the politician's career. This resulted in public outrage, a series of investigations, and ultimately the politician’s resignation, all triggered by the act of indiscretion.
• After the school play rehearsal, the drama teacher lamented the prevalence of tale-bearing among the students. Whispered complaints and half-truths about performances were constantly being relayed to the teacher, disrupting rehearsals and undermining the children's confidence. The teacher tried to foster a culture of direct communication, but these habits proved difficult to break.