shoot one's mouth off

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

To make reckless or exaggerated statements.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

George Jessel . . . is still shooting his mouth off as though nothing mattered except his own gift for wise-cracks.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “shoot one's mouth off” mean?

To make reckless or exaggerated statements.

Is “shoot one's mouth off” formal or informal?

shoot one's mouth off is generally slang.