🗣️ Unfair accusations 🗣️ Attacking others 🪣 Throwing mud

mudslinging

6.5

Full of unfair personal attacks meant to damage someone's reputation

adjective
/ˈmʌdˌslɪŋ/

: difamatorio

Voters grew tired of the mudslinging advertisements that dominated the election season.

Examples

She refused to participate in the mudslinging campaign against her opponent.
The debate quickly turned mudslinging as both candidates began making personal attacks.
The debate quickly turned mudslinging as both candidates began making personal attacks.
Voters grew tired of the mudslinging advertisements that dominated the election season.
She refused to engage in mudslinging against any of her competitors during the campaign.

Synonyms

defamatory

vsmudslinging

Formal

11 7.9

False statements about a person or group that harm their reputation

focuses on malicious or unfair accusations beyond legal falsity

slanderous

vsmudslinging

11 7.3

False and harmful statements that damage a person's reputation

covers harmful accusations even when not strictly proven false

ad hominem

vsmudslinging

3 8.6

Attacking a person in an argument instead of their idea

focuses on reputation damage through personal accusations rather than argument tactic

denigrating

vsmudslinging

7.7

Harming someone's reputation by saying unfair or untrue things

is broader, covering any malicious reputation attacks not only remarks

denigratory

vsmudslinging

Offensive

8.9

Giving unfair critical comments that make someone seem worse

is more about aggressive accusations aiming to damage reputation

smeary

vsmudslinging

8.6

Hurt someone's reputation with unfair or unproven claims

includes such tactics but also covers broader malicious accusation styles

backbiting

vsmudslinging

7.2

Showing mean gossip or criticism about someone who is not present

is not limited to gossip and includes direct damaging accusations

How Malicious

slanderous

11 7.3

mudslinging

6.5

hostile

194 4.6

critical

210 3.8

Surface Forms

mudslinging positive

Morphology

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

As an adjective (present-participial use) it derives from the verb 'mudsling'; the figurative accusatory sense is metaphorical and not purely compositional.

Etymology

Mudslinging used as an adjective describes words or actions that 'throw mud' at someone, with mud and sling ('to throw') giving the image. So a mudslinging speech or ad is full of unfair, mean attacks meant to hurt a person's reputation.