mumble
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.
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.
a low, indistinct utterance or sound.
Origin of mumble
1synonym study For mumble
Opposites for mumble
Other words from mumble
- mumbler, noun
- mum·bling·ly, adverb
- half-mumbled, adjective
- un·mum·bled, adjective
- un·mum·bling, adjective
Words Nearby mumble
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use mumble in a sentence
Casablancas speaks in a drowsy mumble and occasionally needs prodding, but once you do, becomes surprisingly engaged.
Julian Casablancas Enters the Void: On the Strokes’ Friction, Why He Left NYC, and Starting Over | Marlow Stern | October 9, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTEverywhere 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.”
When In Doubt, Mumble—Dynamic Inaction May Be Our Best Hope | Joe McLean | April 6, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTFatah's leaders mumble in English that they recognize Israel while delivering incendiary rhetoric in Arabic.
"The mumble could be passive aggressive—the person wants to have someone work very hard at hearing them," Batson says.
Pausing at the threshold before opening the door, the sonorous mumble sounding through the deal panels misled me.
The Soldier of the Valley | Nelson LloydThe blows of the ax, off in the chaparral, were louder in their ears now, and they could hear a mumble of voices.
Motor Matt's "Century" Run | Stanley R. MatthewsBristow made no comment on this, and Mattie, turning slowly away from him, began to mumble something.
The Winning Clue | James Hay, Jr.Inside45 the parlor could be heard the mumble of men's voices.
Wayside Courtships | Hamlin GarlandShe waited until he answered, in an indistinct mumble, that he did not know.
Colonial Born | G. Firth Scott
British Dictionary definitions for mumble
/ (ˈmʌmbəl) /
to utter indistinctly, as with the mouth partly closed; mutter
rare to chew (food) ineffectually or with difficulty
an indistinct or low utterance or sound
Origin of mumble
1Derived forms of mumble
- mumbler, noun
- mumbling, adjective
- mumblingly, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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