bad-mouth
VERB
1. To criticize or malign someone
To speak negatively about someone or something, especially in an unfair, spiteful, or disparaging way.
1.1. Speaking ill of someone
Making negative or insulting remarks about a person, often behind their back, to damage their reputation or lower others' opinions of them.
Synonyms
- abuse
- asperse
- belittle
- defame
- denigrate
- disparage
- malign
- mudsling
- put down
- run down
- slander
- speak ill of
- traduce
- vilify
Antonyms
Examples
- It's unprofessional to bad-mouth your colleagues behind their backs.
- She refused to bad-mouth her former employer despite their disagreement.
- The politician was accused of bad-mouthing his opponents during the campaign.