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mudslinging

mudslinging

9 4.8
Making unfair personal attacks to damage someone's reputation in politics
  • noun
  • /ˈmʌdˌslɪŋɪŋ/
  • Literature
translation icon : difamación
  • We have problems in this nation, but working together is the answer, not more mudslinging.
  • political mudslinging
  • lots of mudslinging
  • mudslinging campaign

Examples

  • Both Congressman Chris Gibson and his challenger Julian Schreibman did their share of mudslinging and stretching the truth.

    Blog text (30)
  • Four years of GOP mudslinging will do that to any president.

    Blog text (32)
  • As with most voters, as the polls indicated, all of the mudslinging did little to change minds.

    Blog text (32)
  • I'm predicting we are about to see the worst campaign ever when it comes to mudslinging.

    Blog text (25)
  • Too often, in other sites, the comments degrade to mudslinging and name-calling.

    Blog text (8)
  • Unfortunately, our dysfunctional and mudslinging political culture seems wholly unfit for the task at hand.

    Blog text (28)
  • The senator's campaign was filled with mudslinging, as both candidates made harsh accusations against each other.

  • Mudslinging during the debate overshadowed the candidates' actual policies.

  • Voters expressed their frustration over the mudslinging that dominated the last election season.

Synonyms

defamation
vsmudslinging
  • Formal
40 7.1

To harm someone's reputation by saying untrue things about them in public

is similar but often informal political attacks rather than legal focus
bashing
vsmudslinging
  • NSFW
32 4.4

Harsh repeated criticism of a person or their ideas

is more specifically about making damaging accusations to harm public image
assassination
vsmudslinging
  • Literature
21 7.0

Trying to damage someone's reputation with false or harmful statements

is the general pattern of unfair accusations common in political contexts
smear campaign
vsmudslinging
16 5.5

An organized effort to hurt someone's reputation by making false or unfair accusations

is the general practice of unfair accusations, not only organized efforts
character assassination
vsmudslinging
  • Literature
15 7.3

Hurts someone's reputation on purpose by spreading false or harmful stories

is a wider tactic of unfair accusations used especially in politics
dirty tricks
vsmudslinging
12 6.0

Secret dishonest actions that harm or make someone look bad, often in politics and business

focuses on verbal or written accusations rather than broader dishonest acts
aspersion
vsmudslinging
11 9.8

A remark that says bad things about someone to hurt their reputation

is the repeated or organized making of such damaging accusations
vilification
vsmudslinging
  • Formal
6 8.4

Saying or writing very harsh and unfair things about someone to damage their reputation

is focused on nasty accusations often for political attack rather than only abuse
hatchet job
vsmudslinging
  • Literature
5 8.4

A written or spoken attack that unfairly hurts someone's reputation

is the ongoing practice of making hostile accusations, not just single reports
denigration
vsmudslinging
  • Offensive
5 8.4

Unfair criticism that makes someone or their work seem bad

aims specifically at damaging reputation through accusations rather than general criticism
disparagement
vsmudslinging
3 8.1

Talking about someone in a way that shows dislike and makes them seem unimportant

is more about harming public image through unfair accusations
name calling
vsmudslinging
  • Offensive
2 4.9

Using insulting words to hurt or shame someone instead of discussing the problem

focuses on damaging reputation with accusations rather than mere insults
whispering campaign
vsmudslinging
2 7.4

Organized effort to spread secret bad rumors to make people think badly of someone

is public hostile accusations rather than mostly private rumor spreading
calumniation
vsmudslinging
  • Formal
9.9

Telling lies about someone to harm what people think of them

is broader, including unfair or hurtful accusations that may not be false
blackwash
vsmudslinging
9.9

An attempt to damage someone's reputation by making false claims

is the general act of unfair accusations, not only specific campaigns
derogation
vsmudslinging
8.6

A comment or action that makes someone feel unimportant

targets reputation with malicious accusations rather than general belittling

Antonyms

161 3.6

A public statement supporting a person, product, or idea

161 1.0

Words or actions that show admiration for someone

How Malicious

slander
  • Specialized
44 6.6
mudslinging
  • Literature
9 4.8
attack
548 3.2
accusation
394 3.1
criticism
512 3.0

Surface Forms

mudslinging singular
mudslingings plural

Morphology

mudslinging = mudsling (semi-transparent) = mud + sling + ing

The metaphorical sense ('making accusations') is derived from the literal idea of throwing mud, so learners may need world knowledge to map the literal components to the figurative meaning.

Etymology

Mudslinging comes from the clear picture of people literally throwing mud at one another, where sling means 'to throw', as in slingshot. So in politics, mudslinging is making dirty, unfair attacks to damage someone's reputation.