harrumph
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to clear the throat audibly in a self-important manner.
The professor harrumphed good-naturedly.
-
to express oneself gruffly.
verb
Etymology
Origin of harrumph
First recorded in 1935–40; imitative
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Grunting may be the lingua franca of Bos grunniens, but they also harrumph, bellow and squeak, and calves occasionally meep.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
A handful of townspeople now mutter about seceding from the local council area, echoing a widening harrumph of displeasure with the various layers of government in Britain.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
"Trousers," exclaims the Prince Andrew character, with a fruity harrumph, as though taken aback by a female interviewer wearing trousers.
From BBC ● Apr. 5, 2024
More stingily, you could turn to Fran Lebowitz’s first essay collection, “Metropolitan Life,” which includes a three-paragraph harrumph titled “Clothes with Pictures and/or Writing on Them: Yes—Another Complaint.”
From The New Yorker ● Jun. 21, 2018
He didn’t point out who was who, or I missed it, so I stood there confused until the tall, skinny woman with glasses gave a small harrumph and waved at her partner.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
