What does loudmouth mean?
A loudmouth is someone who speaks loudly, often in a boastful, rude, or attention-seeking manner, and the word generally expresses disapproval. It can refer to a persistently noisy person, but it is especially used for someone who tries to impress others through aggressive talk, bravado, or exaggerated claims. As a verb, to loudmouth means to speak loudly, usually in a way that sounds overbearing or irritating. The expression is informal and can sound dismissive or insulting, so it is not normally appropriate in formal or sensitive contexts. Although literal loudness alone can be the focus of criticism, the word commonly carries a broader implication of bad manners, excessive self-assertion, or offensive behaviour. It is useful in discussion because it captures not merely volume but a recognizable social manner: talking loudly as a way of dominating attention or asserting status.
A person who talks loudly, especially in a rude, boastful, or attention-seeking way.
"Several loudmouths at the back of the hall kept shouting over the speaker."
Informal and usually disparaging; it is more insulting than simply saying that someone has a loud voice.
To speak loudly, especially in a boastful or overbearing way.
"He started loudmouthing about his achievements instead of answering the question."
Informal and generally negative in tone.
The plural is formed by adding -s.
"The loudmouths were told to leave the venue."
Loudmouth combines the idea of loudness with the mouth: the word is as noisy as it sounds.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does loudmouth come from?
The compound was formed in English from loud and mouth, probably in the late nineteenth century. Its original sense referred to a person who talked loudly, and the modern sense of a rude or boastful speaker developed from that literal description. The second element, mouth, is an inherited Germanic word that appears in many English expressions involving speaking, while loud comes from Old English hlūd, meaning “loud” or “clear-sounding.” The compound follows the ordinary English pattern of joining words to describe a characteristic person.
How loudmouth is actually used
This is an informal and generally disparaging word. It can describe a person whose voice is simply loud, but it more often implies rudeness, excessive talking, or boastfulness; as a verb, it usually carries the same negative tone.
Easily confused with loudmouth
A loudmouth is a person who speaks loudly or boastfully, whereas a mouthpiece is someone who speaks publicly on behalf of another person or organization.