mudslinging

American  

[muhd-sling-ing] / ˈmʌdˌslɪŋ ɪŋ /

noun

1. an attempt to discredit one's competitor, opponent, etc., by malicious or scandalous attacks.

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mudslinging British  

/ ˈmʌdˌslɪŋɪŋ /

noun

1. casting malicious slurs on an opponent, esp in politics

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Other Word Forms

• mudslinger noun

Etymology

Origin of mudslinging

First recorded in 1880–85; mud + sling ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

This week’s mudslinging comes courtesy of the initial House documents—from the Epstein estate, or those the Justice Department didn’t mind parting with.

From The Wall Street Journal

"It's not been our finest 24 hours in government," one senior figure in government acknowledged to me, after mudslinging one way and another, some in public, plenty more in private.

From BBC

But let's get to the aftermath of all that mudslinging.

From BBC

Media mudslinging abounded on various social media platforms.

From Salon

Jamie Lee Curtis apologized for her now-viral jab at Marvel Studios — made during a Comic-Con appearance — and promised to be more careful about her words in the age of internet “mudslinging.”

From Salon