# poison-pen letter

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/poison-pen-letter
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A missive which is malicious, insulting, and/or defamatory toward a person, organization, or point of view, especially one which is unsigned.

## Examples

- The manager received a nasty poison-pen letter today.
- The anonymous poison-pen letter accused the local shopkeeper of dishonest business practices, causing a scandal in the small town.
- Despite the lack of a signature, the cruel tone of the poison-pen letter left no doubt that the author intended to destroy her professional reputation.

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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.