Standard Lemma guide

mealy-mouthed

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Prone to speaking evasively, indirectly, or duplicitously; not forthright.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

hesitant to state facts or opinions simply and directly as from e.g. timidity or hypocrisy

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a mealymouthed politician

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mealymouthed

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Possibly from German Mehl im Maule behalten, via Martin Luther

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: неискрен (neiskren) — not forthright
  • Dutch: huichelachtig — not forthright
  • French: hypocrite — not forthright
  • German: mit mehligem Mund — not forthright
  • German: ausweichend — not forthright
  • German: gewunden — not forthright
  • German: sich windend — not forthright
  • Hungarian: köntörfalazó — not forthright
  • Russian: укло́нчивый (uklónčivyj) — not forthright
  • Russian: виля́ющий (viljájuščij) — not forthright
  • Russian: неи́скренний (neískrennij) — not forthright
  • Russian: двули́чный (dvulíčnyj) — not forthright