rumor

especially British, ru·mour

[roo-mer]

noun

1. a story or statement in general circulation without confirmation or certainty as to facts.

   a rumor of war.

   Synonyms: report

2. gossip; hearsay.

   Don't listen to rumor.

3. Archaic.,  a continuous, confused noise; clamor; din.

verb (used with object)

1. to circulate, report, or assert by a rumor.

   It is rumored that the king is dead.

Other Word Forms

• unrumored adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rumor¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English rumour, from Middle French, from Latin rūmor; akin to Sanskrit rāuti, rāvati “(he) cries”

Example Sentences

The latest round of rumored cuts appears to be less partisan.

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There’s just a lot of rumors flying around, and I figured if you heard it from me, you’d know that I was ok.”

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Parton also encouraged her followers to be on their toes regarding “rumors” about her health and AI photos — including one alleged snap she says depicts fellow country star Reba McEntire at her death bed.

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When she finally was moved up, the lawsuit said, rumors began circulating within the department that she’d been promoted because she brought her baby to a department workshop to “evoke sympathy.”

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Later, Swift addressed a rumor about turning down the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show over a dispute over the footage ownership.

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Related Words

• comment 
• fabrication 
• falsehood 
• gossip 
• hearsay 
• hoax 
• innuendo 
• lie 
• news 
• report 
• scandal 
• story 
• suggestion 
• tale 
• whisper 
• word 

When To Use

What does rumor mean?

A rumor is a story or statement that is being passed around without confirmation that the information is true, as in I heard a rumor about a new superhero movie.Rumor can also mean general hearsay, as in You shouldn’t put much faith in rumor and speculation. As a verb, rumor means to spread or report rumors. When used this way, it is usually accompanied by the thing that is a rumor, as in It has been rumored that Disney is building a new amusement park outside the city. While rumor does mean the information hasn’t been checked, it is still possible for it to be true. For this reason, rumor may not always be able to be used as a synonym for words like lie, falsehood, nonsense, or fiction.In British English, rumor is often spelled as rumour.A person who loves spreading rumors is called a rumormonger.Example: My gossipy neighbor loves spreading ridiculous rumors all over town.