Rotten Tomatoes
Definition
Tomatoes that have spoiled, decayed, or gone bad, often developing mold, soft spots, or a foul odor due to bacterial or fungal growth.
A reference to Rotten Tomatoes, the iconic review-aggregation website that compiles critic scores for movies and TV shows into the 'Tomatometer' percentage—fresh for acclaim, splat for stinkers.
Idiomatically, harsh criticism or public derision, evoking the vaudeville-era tradition of audiences hurling actual overripe produce at bad performers.
Examples
The indie flick earned a perfect 0% on Rotten Tomatoes, proving that even digital tomatoes can bruise egos.
After forgetting them in the fridge for a month, my grocery haul turned into a bouquet of rotten tomatoes—nature's own stink bomb.
The politician's gaffe had the crowd virtually pelting him with rotten tomatoes, though his poll numbers smelled just as bad.
She composted the garden's bounty of rotten tomatoes, whispering, 'Better you than my salsa dreams.'