mutter

[muht-er]

verb (used without object)

1. to utter words indistinctly or in a low tone, often as if talking to oneself; murmur.

2. to complain murmuringly; grumble.

3. to make a low, rumbling sound.

verb (used with object)

1. to utter indistinctly or in a low tone.

   to mutter complaints.

noun

1. the act or utterance of a person who mutters.

mutter

¹

/ ˈmʌtə /

verb

1. to utter (something) in a low and indistinct tone

2. (intr) to grumble or complain

3. (intr) to make a low continuous murmuring sound

noun

1. a muttered sound or complaint

Mutter

²

/ ˈmʊtə /

noun

1. Anne-Sophie. born 1963, German violinist

Other Word Forms

• muttering noun
• mutteringly adverb
• mutterer noun
• unmuttered adjective
• unmuttering adjective
• unmutteringly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of mutter¹

1325–75; Middle English moteren, perhaps frequentative of moot ( Old English mōtian to speak); -er ⁶

Word History and Origins

Origin of mutter¹

C14 moteren; related to Norwegian (dialect) mutra, Old High German mutilōn; compare Old English mōtian to speak

Synonym Study

See murmur.

Example Sentences

There was still some muttering and a few can-you-believe-I-just-did-that stares at her coaches, but she remained in charge.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The LR are out, but many centrists are starting to mutter too.

Read more on BBC

“A protector,” he mutters to himself in unison.

Read more on Salon

At one point, a microphone picked up someone in the meeting muttering “idiot” as Levi was talking.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But there are also growing mutterings that AI is a very lucrative bubble that is about to burst.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• complain 
• groan 
• growl 
• moan 
• murmur 
• snarl 
• sputter 
• whisper