name-calling
noun
name-call·ing
ˈnām-ˌkȯ-liŋ 
: the use of offensive names especially to win an argument or to induce rejection or condemnation (as of a person or project) without objective consideration of the facts
Examples of name-calling in a Sentence
the campaign quickly degenerated into name-calling rather than an intelligent discussion of the issues
Recent Examples on the Web
For Musk, whose younger brother Kimbal — a restaurant owner, entrepreneur and Tesla board member — has joined in on the action, the name-calling appears to be tied to business conditions.
—
Lora Kolodny,ari Levy, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2025
During elections one group calls the other by all kinds of bad names that no one takes too seriously, neither those that do the name-calling nor those called by such names.
—Isaac Bashevis Singer, Harpers Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
Some readers couldn’t get over the wife’s name-calling.
—Brian Anthony Hernandez, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Gossiping, name-calling and scapegoating were commonplace.
—Dawn Szymanski, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for name-calling
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Lora Kolodny,ari Levy, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2025
During elections one group calls the other by all kinds of bad names that no one takes too seriously, neither those that do the name-calling nor those called by such names.
—Isaac Bashevis Singer, Harpers Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
Some readers couldn’t get over the wife’s name-calling.
—Brian Anthony Hernandez, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Gossiping, name-calling and scapegoating were commonplace.
—Dawn Szymanski, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for name-calling
Cite this Entry
“Name-calling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/name-calling. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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