idiom · neutral
put words in someone's mouth
UK/pʊt wɜːdz ɪn ˈsʌmwʌnz maʊθ/US/pʊt wɜrdz ɪn ˈsʌmwʌnz maʊθ/put·WORDS·in·some·ONE'S·MOUTH
to say that someone has said something they did not say
Examples
“Don't put words in my mouth — I never agreed to that plan.”
“She accused the reporter of putting words in her mouth.”
“If you put words in his mouth, the interview will be unfair.”
Band 8 sentence
“The politician denied the allegation, insisting the interviewer had put words in his mouth.”
Collocations
- put words in someone's mouth during an interview
- not put words in my mouth
Word family
Common mistakes
put someone's words into mouth→put words in someone's mouth
put words on someone's mouth→put words in someone's mouth
Say it for a higher band
5misrepresent→6misquote→7+put words in someone's mouth
Synonyms
misrepresent someone's words
Easily confused
misquote
“The journalist misquoted the politician in the article.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In Communication
Learn it with its set