mumble

[muhm-buhl]

verb (used without object)

mumbled, mumbling 

1. to speak in a low indistinct manner, almost to an unintelligible extent; mutter.

   Antonyms: articulate

2. to chew ineffectively, as from loss of teeth.

   to mumble on a crust.

verb (used with object)

mumbled, mumbling 

1. to say or utter indistinctly, as with partly closed lips.

   He mumbled something about expenses.

2. to chew, or try to eat, with difficulty, as from loss of teeth.

noun

1. a low, indistinct utterance or sound.

mumble

/ ˈmʌmbəl /

verb

1. to utter indistinctly, as with the mouth partly closed; mutter

2. rare,  to chew (food) ineffectually or with difficulty

noun

1. an indistinct or low utterance or sound

Other Word Forms

• mumbler noun
• mumblingly adverb
• half-mumbled adjective
• unmumbled adjective
• unmumbling adjective
• mumbling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mumble¹

1275–1325; Middle English momelen, equivalent to mom ( me ) mum ¹ + -elen -le; compare Dutch mommelen, German mummeln

Word History and Origins

Origin of mumble¹

C14 momelen, from _mum ²

Synonym Study

See murmur.

Example Sentences

This is when many older workers quietly mumble to themselves: “I’m done with that,” she says.

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I throw it on over my dashiki and mumble my thanks.

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She mumbled her threadbare story about being the cousin of England’s queen, but her heart was not in it, and she fell silent.

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“I thought the book was lost,” she mumbled.

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“Pecked to death by murderous pheasants,” Fredrick mumbled, his mouth full of turnips.

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Related Words

• grumble 
• murmur 
• mutter 
• ramble 
• rumble 
• stammer 
• stutter 
• utter 
• whisper