mumble
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to speak in a low indistinct manner, almost to an unintelligible extent; mutter.
- Antonyms:
- articulate
-
to chew ineffectively, as from loss of teeth.
to mumble on a crust.
verb (used with object)
-
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.
noun
verb
-
to utter indistinctly, as with the mouth partly closed; mutter
-
rare to chew (food) ineffectually or with difficulty
noun
Related Words
See murmur.
Other Word Forms
- half-mumbled adjective
- mumbler noun
- mumbling adjective
- mumblingly adverb
- unmumbled adjective
- unmumbling adjective
Etymology
Origin of mumble
1275–1325; Middle English momelen, equivalent to mom ( me ) mum 1 + -elen -le; compare Dutch mommelen, German mummeln
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.
I mumble something about needing a shower and offer a half-hearted wave.
From Literature
Jonah mumbles around a mouthful of corn dog.
From Literature
“They let you be teacher,” I mumbled back, “if you can count to twenty with your shoes on.”
From Literature
“You got me upstairs,” I mumble through the oak, sliding down to the floor.
From Literature
“I guess I missed the details,” I mumble.
From Literature
Definitions 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.
