whispering campaign

noun

1. the organized spreading of insinuations or rumors to destroy the reputation of a person, organization, etc.

whispering campaign

noun

1. the organized diffusion by word of mouth of defamatory rumours designed to discredit a person, group, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of whispering campaign¹

First recorded in 1915–20

Idioms and Phrases

A deliberate spreading of derogatory rumors about a candidate, as in That whispering campaign destroyed his chances for election. [c. 1920]

Example Sentences

Though he was careful not to appear in public in his wheelchair, there was a whispering campaign that Roosevelt was not physically fit for the presidency.

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Mr Brentnall said in the years that followed his conviction, there was a "whispering campaign" in the community with people calling him a "thief" and a "fraudster".

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“They’re like an unwritten whispering campaign that has taken on the force of law,” he said.

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He said he did not believe Ms. Patel’s denials that she had orchestrated a whispering campaign against him with the news media.

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Over the past few months, so-called "friends" of the prince have mounted a whispering campaign about the photo trying to undercut its authenticity.

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