mealy-mouthed
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of mealy-mouthed
First recorded in 1565–75; mealy ( def. ) + mouthed ( def. )
Vocabulary lists containing mealy-mouthed
Vocabulary Video Contest (2013) - List 1
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2014 Vocabulary Video Contest (M-Z)
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Vocab Video Contest (2016) - List 4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Back then, he knew he had to eke out a mealy-mouthed apology for the sake of decorum.
From Slate ● Jan. 13, 2026
Commenting on the peace deal, she offers a verdict that would put to shame many of Europe’s more mealy-mouthed leaders.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2025
As for Hollywood’s answer to Oval Office sycophants, Paul W. Downs works wonders as a mealy-mouthed comedy agent in ‘Hacks.’
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2025
He accused the law firm Travers Smith, which conducted the investigation, of having taken a "mealy-mouthed approach to this complex issue".
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2023
“That’s for Chestnutt! And that’s for Ayanna! And that’s for having the nerve to throw rocks at the throne, chump! You no good, mealy-mouthed, dandelion-faced thistle-head!”
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
