Synonyms Examples Word Origin
See more synonyms for mumble on Thesaurus.com verb (used without object), mum·bled, mum·bling. to speak in a low indistinct manner, almost to an unintelligible extent; mutter. to chew ineffectively, as from loss of teeth: to mumble on a crust. Show More
verb (used with object), mum·bled, mum·bling. to say or utter indistinctly, as with partly closed lips: He mumbled something about expenses. to chew, or try to eat, with difficulty, as from loss of teeth. Show More
a low, indistinct utterance or sound. Show More
Origin of mumble 1275–1325; Middle English momelen, equivalent to
mom(me )
mum1 +
-elen -le ; compare
Dutch mommelen, German mummeln Related forms mum·bler , noun mum·bling·ly , adverb half-mum·bled , adjective un·mum·bled , adjective un·mum·bling , adjective Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words for mumble ramble ,
whisper ,
stammer ,
grumble ,
stutter ,
mutter ,
rumble ,
murmur ,
utter ,
voice ,
vocalize ,
whine ,
verbalize ,
whimper ,
swallow ,
maunder ,
talk ,
speak Examples from the Web for mumble Contemporary Examples of mumble Everywhere we go, inspiration hits us and we just kind of mumble things into our iPhones.
He defines Dynamic Inaction with one pithy aphorism: “When in doubt, mumble ; when in trouble, delegate; when in charge, ponder.”
"The mumble could be passive aggressive—the person wants to have someone work very hard at hearing them," Batson says.
I wondered whether I should mumble that I had been raised by a German Lutheran.
During takeoff and landing, I mumble a short prayer that I learned long ago in Sunday school.
Historical Examples of mumble His boastful accents died away into a mumble : "Dunno what I should do."
I understood his mumble to mean that "he didn't know any game."
He squeezed my arm till he extorted from me some sort of mumble .
Gone was the mumble , gone was every thought except the misery of the minute.
When he would cry out to her his frozen lips could mumble no words.
British Dictionary definitions for mumble to utter indistinctly, as with the mouth partly closed; mutter rare to chew (food) ineffectually or with difficulty Show More
an indistinct or low utterance or sound Show More
Derived Forms mumbler , noun mumbling , adjective mumblingly , adverb Word Origin for mumble C14 momelen, from mum ²
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for mumble v. early 14c., momelen , "to eat in a slow, ineffective manner" (perhaps "to talk with one's mouth full"), probably frequentative of interjection mum . The -b- is excrescent. Meaning "to speak indistinctly" is from mid-14c. Related: Mumbled ; mumbling .
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
