mudslinging: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, journalistic, political discourse
Quick answer
What does “mudslinging” mean?
The act of making malicious, insulting, or damaging accusations against a political opponent or rival, especially during a campaign.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The act of making malicious, insulting, or damaging accusations against a political opponent or rival, especially during a campaign.
Any attempt to damage someone's reputation by making unfair, insulting, or scandalous allegations, not limited to politics.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The term is equally common in both political contexts.
Connotations
Identical negative connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English due to the prominence of extended election cycles and attack advertising.
Grammar
How to Use “mudslinging” in a Sentence
[Subject] engaged in mudslinging.The campaign was marred by mudslinging.They accused each other of mudslinging.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “mudslinging” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The candidates spent the final week slinging mud rather than debating policy.
- He was accused of mud-slinging by his opponent.
American English
- The super PACs are just going to sling mud until election day.
- They've been mudslinging for months now.
adverb
British English
- The campaign was conducted mudslingingly from the outset. (Rare/awkward)
American English
- They argued mudslingingly throughout the interview. (Rare/awkward)
adjective
British English
- The debate descended into a mudslinging match.
- He launched a mudslinging campaign against the incumbent.
American English
- The race turned into a mudslinging contest.
- The ad was a classic piece of mudslinging propaganda.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used metaphorically for aggressive, reputation-damaging tactics between competing companies or executives.
Academic
Rare; used in political science or media studies to describe a type of negative political communication.
Everyday
Used to describe any situation where people are making nasty personal accusations, e.g., in a neighbourhood dispute or online argument.
Technical
Not a technical term.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “mudslinging”
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “mudslinging”
- Using it as a verb (the verb is 'to sling mud').
- Spelling as two words: 'mud slinging'. It is a solid or hyphenated compound ('mud-slinging').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while its most common use is in political contexts, it can be applied to any situation where people try to damage each other's reputations with insults and accusations, such as in business rivalries or celebrity feuds.
Criticism can be constructive and focused on ideas or actions. Mudslinging is inherently personal, malicious, and aimed at destroying reputation, often using irrelevant or unproven allegations.
The standard verb phrase is 'to sling mud'. While 'mudslinging' is primarily a noun, you might occasionally see 'they are mudslinging' in informal use, but 'slinging mud' is more grammatically conventional.
No, the term is exclusively negative. A positive counterpart would be 'positive campaigning', 'issue-based debate', or simply 'praise'.
The act of making malicious, insulting, or damaging accusations against a political opponent or rival, especially during a campaign.
Mudslinging is usually formal, journalistic, political discourse in register.
Mudslinging: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmʌdslɪŋɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmʌdˌslɪŋɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “throw mud”
- “a mudslinging contest”
- “the mud starts to fly”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine two politicians in a muddy field, literally slinging handfuls of mud at each other to get dirty. This visual captures the essence of trying to soil an opponent's reputation.
Conceptual Metaphor
ARGUMENT IS WAR (attacking a reputation); REPUTATION IS CLEANLINESS (mud dirties it).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'mudslinging' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?