Word: Mouthful

Pronunciation

/ˈmaʊθfʊl/

Definitions

• Noun: A quantity of food or drink that can be taken into the mouth at one time. For example: “The baby took a small mouthful of mashed peas.”
• Noun (figurative): A large amount of something that is difficult to say or swallow, often referring to information or opinions. For example: “His speech was a mouthful of complex economic theories.”
• Adjective: Describing something that requires a lot of effort or capacity to manage or consume due to its size or complexity. For example: “The new vocabulary words were quite a mouthful for the beginner learners.”

Phrases

• “A mouthful to say”: Refers to a word or phrase that is lengthy or difficult to pronounce.
• “A mouthful of marbles”: An idiom used to describe someone who is speaking unclearly or with difficulty, possibly because their mouth is full or they have a speech impediment.

Example Sentences

• Noun (literal): “She took a big mouthful of water to quench her thirst.”
• Noun (figurative): “Understanding quantum physics is quite a mouthful for most people.”
• Adjective: “That long medical term is really a mouthful; let’s find a simpler way to explain it.”

Synonyms

• Bite (literal sense)
• Swallow (literal sense)
• Chunk (of information)
• Load (figurative sense)
• Whopper (informal, for a large or complex statement)