“Talking out of the side of your mouth” means speaking in a dishonest or insincere way. It describes saying one thing to one person while telling another person something different, or using words designed to mislead rather than inform. It is an informal expression used to call someone out for being two-faced, evasive, or deceptive in the way they communicate. For example, a manager who praises an employee to their face but criticizes them privately to senior leadership is talking out of the side of their mouth. The phrase also carries a secondary, more literal meaning: speaking in a low voice or whisper, as if turning the mouth sideways so others cannot hear.
However, the dishonest sense is by far the more common use in everyday English. Knowing both meanings, and how this phrase differs from the related “talking out of both sides of your mouth,” helps you use it correctly.
The Two Meanings Behind This Expression
TL;DR: The primary meaning is deceitful or insincere speech: saying different things to different people. The secondary meaning is speaking privately or quietly. The dishonest sense is far more common, and that is the one most listeners will assume you intend.
This idiom carries two distinct meanings that depend on context.
The primary meaning is about dishonesty. When someone is talking out of the side of their mouth, they are not being straight with you. They may be telling you what you want to hear while saying the opposite to someone else. Or they may be speaking in a vague, evasive way that hides their real intentions. In both cases, the image is of someone whose words cannot be fully trusted.
The secondary meaning is more literal: speaking quietly or in a whisper, with the mouth turned to the side. The image is of someone keeping words from spreading beyond one listener. In old American films — particularly crime dramas from the early 20th century — this physical gesture was a common shorthand for secrecy. The idiom grew out of that image. It stuck. However, this meaning rarely comes up in everyday conversation. When you hear this phrase, assume the dishonest meaning unless the context makes the private-speech sense unmistakable.
When I flag this phrase in corporate documents, the reason is almost always the same. A writer has used it in a formal report without realizing how informal it sounds to a business reader.
“Talking Out of the Side of Your Mouth” in Everyday Use
The phrase is most at home in speech and informal writing. These examples show it working correctly, incorrectly, and across different settings.
Correct Usage Examples
“He told his team the project was on track, but he was talking out of the side of his mouth. He had already told the client the deadline would slip.” The sentence describes a manager who tells two different stories. Each audience hears a different version.
“Stop talking out of the side of your mouth and tell me what you actually think.” A direct challenge to someone being evasive or insincere.
“She had a way of talking out of the side of her mouth that made you feel praised and dismissed at the same time.” In creative writing, the phrase works well in dialogue or character description. When editing fiction manuscripts, I reach for this idiom to flag characters who charm and deceive simultaneously — it captures the behavior in a single phrase.
“Politicians who say one thing in public and another in private are talking out of the side of their mouths.” Commentary and journalism use this expression to name political hypocrisy directly.
Incorrect Usage Examples
- Incorrect: The report concluded that the executive was talking out of the side of his mouth regarding Q3 projections.
- Correct: The report concluded that the executive had provided contradictory statements regarding Q3 projections.
Why: In a formal report, this idiom sounds too casual and judgmental. A neutral, specific alternative works better.
- Incorrect: She was talking out of the side of her mouth because she wanted to tell him a secret.
- Correct: She whispered to him so no one else would hear.
Why: Using the phrase this way risks confusion. Most readers will assume the dishonest meaning. When the private sense is intended, plain language is clearer.
Context Variations
In casual conversation, this phrase lands cleanly. Saying “he’s been talking out of the side of his mouth” tells the listener exactly what you mean. The person has been giving conflicting stories.
In journalism and political commentary, the expression is common and well understood. Specifically, it appears in coverage of politicians or executives with contradictory records.
In formal writing (legal documents, academic papers, business reports), it does not belong. However natural it may feel in speech, this idiom carries a tone of personal judgment that reads as unprofessional in formal contexts.
Is It the Same as “Talking Out of Both Sides of Your Mouth”?
No. These are related but distinct expressions, and the difference matters.
“Talking out of the side of your mouth” primarily means being dishonest or insincere in general. The focus is on the gap between what someone says and what they actually mean or do.
“Talking out of both sides of your mouth” is more specific. It describes saying contradictory things: making opposite statements to different people, or changing your position to suit whoever you are talking to. The “both sides” image makes the contradiction explicit. The person speaks in two directions at once.
In practice, the two phrases overlap. Someone who talks out of both sides of their mouth is also talking out of the side of their mouth. Yet the “both sides” version is sharper and more precise when the specific contradiction is the point. Use “both sides” when you want to highlight that the person has said two opposite things. Use “the side” when the broader tone of insincerity or evasion is what you mean.
When Should You Use This Phrase?
Use this expression when you want to call out dishonesty or insincerity in a direct but informal way. It works in spoken conversation, personal essays, commentary, fiction, and informal articles. The phrase adds color and force that a plain word like “dishonest” does not always carry.
Avoid it in formal or professional writing. In editing workshops, I often remind writers that idioms signal register, and this one signals informal speech. Slipping it into a business report, legal document, or academic paper breaks the tone, even if the meaning is technically clear.
Also avoid it when the private-speech meaning might confuse the reader. If you genuinely mean that someone is whispering, say that directly. The idiom’s primary sense is too strong to risk the ambiguity.
Conclusion
“Talking out of the side of your mouth” names a specific kind of dishonesty. It describes words that do not match intentions, or stories that change depending on who is listening. Its secondary meaning, speaking quietly or privately, is far less common. Rarely is that the intended sense.
The phrase carries force in everyday speech and informal writing. Still, it belongs in the right register. In formal contexts, a direct, specific description of the behavior will always serve better.
When someone’s words feel slippery or two-faced, this phrase names it plainly.
Frequently Asked Questions
It means speaking in a dishonest or insincere way: saying one thing while meaning another, or giving different stories to different people. Less commonly, it can mean speaking quietly or in a whisper so others cannot hear.
Not exactly. “Both sides of your mouth” specifically describes saying contradictory things to different people. “The side of your mouth” means insincerity or evasion more broadly. Use “both sides” when a specific contradiction is the point.
The phrase traces back to early 20th century American English. It draws on the image of someone whispering from the corner of their mouth, a gesture linked to secrecy in old American crime films.
Yes. It is a direct accusation of dishonesty or insincerity. Use it when you intend to challenge someone’s integrity. It is not a mild or polite expression.
No. It is an informal idiom that signals casual or spoken register. In formal documents, academic writing, or professional reports, a specific and neutral description of the behavior is always the better choice.
