mudslinging
Dirty campaign tactics
Mudslinging is the practice of making malicious or scandalous attacks against an opponent, especially in politics.
The metaphor suggests throwing dirt to make someone look bad: The campaign descended into mudslinging.
The word implies the attacks are unfair, exaggerated, or irrelevant to substantive issues.
Someone who engages in this is a mudslinger.
Spread or defame
- slanderSpoken false defamation
- vilifyAttack someone's reputation
- denigrateCriticize unfairly to harm
- malignAttack someone's reputation
defame · discredit · besmirch · slur · trash · slam · accuse · disparage
Organized effort toward goal
- negative adCommercial attacking an opponent
- spinRapid rotation around axis
- propagandaBiased information for influence
- opponentOne who contends against
partisan · rhetoric · debate · election · smear campaign · dirty tricks · PAC · robocall
smear
Spread or defame
malign · defame · discredit · besmirch · slur · trash · slam · accuse · disparage · libel
campaign
Organized effort toward goal
- negative adCommercial attacking an opponent
- spinRapid rotation around axis
- propagandaBiased information for influence
opponent · partisan · rhetoric · debate · election · smear campaign · dirty tricks · PAC · robocall · leaflet
feud
Bitter ongoing rivalry
- rivalryOngoing contest between opponents
- hostilityAntagonistic disposition toward others
- animosityActive, bitter hostility
antagonism · discord · clash · quarrel · dispute · friction · strife · acrimony · bad blood · vendetta
- campaign jargonstump speech, talking points, sound bites, soundbite, soundbites
- political theaterkabuki, agitprop, grandstanding, political drama, posturing
- accusationsaccusation, accuse, accuser, allegation, allege
- campaigningcandidate, campaign signs, canvassing, campaign manager, fundraising
- disparagementdefame, denigrate, disparage, malign, slander
- public affairspolitics, election, campaign, polling, poll
mudslingingpraise
Expression of approval
commendation · tribute · lauding · complimenting · flattery
mudslingingpolicy debate
Competitive two-on-two argumentation
civil discourse · reasoned argument · policy discussion · constructive criticism · rational discourse
mudslingingfair dealing
Honest, equitable conduct principle
truthfulness · candor · straight talk · integrity · good faith
sling, muddied, muddies, slinging, slinger, slung, muddier, muddiest, mudslinger