word-of-mouth

1 of 2

adjective

ˌwərd-ə(v)-ˈmau̇th 

: orally communicated

also : generated from or reliant on oral publicity

word-of-mouth customers

a word-of-mouth business

word of mouth

2 of 2

noun phrase

: oral communication

especially : oral often inadvertent publicity

Synonyms

Adjective

• nuncupative
• oral
• spoken
• unwritten
• verbal
• viva voce

Examples of word-of-mouth in a Sentence

Adjective

not having the money to run ads, the restaurant relies on word-of-mouth publicity

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The membership has since grown to approximately 300 members with two to three new members joining each month, primarily through word-of-mouth. —Carrie Coolidge, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024

Positive reviews and strong word-of-mouth are benefitting the triumvirate of films. —Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 1 Dec. 2024

Noun phrase

Neither Helena nor Barbara knew if their sister was alive, but by miraculous word of mouth, the two reconnected in Germany. —Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 6 Dec. 2024

Giving kids more than insurance will cover The neuroplasticity program has been able to find its families mostly through word of mouth, said Darryn Atkinson, a professor at St. Augustine who does research on the outcomes achieved through this kind of rigorous therapy. —Nicole Villalpando, Austin American-Statesman, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1817, in the meaning defined above

Noun Phrase

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

word of mouth

: spoken communication