# kick in the teeth

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/kick-in-the-teeth
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A humiliating insult or instance of bad treatment, especially when one is expecting friendship or in need of support; a sudden and unexpected setback; a strong rebuff.

## Examples

- Losing my job after all that hard work felt like a kick in the teeth.
- After he spent months helping his friend with a project, being fired by him was a real kick in the teeth.
- The sudden rejection of her research proposal, despite years of dedicated study, served as a painful kick in the teeth during her final year.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.