English Reference
Idiom idiom

whisper campaign


A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

The rival candidate started a whisper campaign to ruin her reputation.

CONTEXTUAL

The company suffered after a whisper campaign suggested that their main product was unsafe, though no one could prove who started the rumors.

COMPLEX

By employing a calculated whisper campaign, the political operative successfully undermined the incumbent's credibility without ever leaving a traceable footprint of his involvement.


Related idioms2entries
  1. 01

    rumor campaign

    A method of persuasion in which damaging rumors or innuendo are deliberately spread concerning a person or other target, while the source of the rumors tries to avoid detection.

  2. 02

    smear campaign

    An effort to damage or call into question someone's reputation, by propounding negative propaganda.

Last updated August 10, 2026