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Synonyms

name-calling

American  
[neym-kaw-ling] / ˈneɪmˌkɔ lɪŋ /

noun

  1. the use of abusive names to belittle or humiliate another person in a political campaign, an argument, etc.

name-calling British  

noun

  1. verbal abuse, esp as a crude form of argument

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of name-calling

First recorded in 1890–95

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.

Decorum is no longer required, and mean-spirited name-calling is no longer discouraged.

From Slate • Dec. 11, 2024

Jacob Fisher, an independent voter from Atlanta, said he thought calling Trump and Mr Vance “weird” was appropriate and only mildly insulting in an age of political name-calling.

From BBC • Aug. 10, 2024

That one word proved surprisingly effective in eviscerating a former president known for name-calling.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 6, 2024

Cavuto questioned the purpose of the name-calling the vice president has faced from Republicans like Kennedy, calling it “petty.”

From Salon • Jul. 30, 2024

And so from the pages of the newspapers to the pages of books the accusations and name-calling raged on.

From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy

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.