rumor

especially British, ru·mour

[roo-mer]

noun

1. a story or statement in general circulation without confirmation or certainty as to facts.

   a rumor of war.

   Synonyms: report

2. gossip; hearsay.

   Don't listen to rumor.

3. Archaic.,  a continuous, confused noise; clamor; din.

verb (used with object)

1. to circulate, report, or assert by a rumor.

   It is rumored that the king is dead.

Other Word Forms

• unrumored adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rumor¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English rumour, from Middle French, from Latin rūmor; akin to Sanskrit rāuti, rāvati “(he) cries”

Example Sentences

But Rodriguez said traffic fluctuates day-to-day and is “at the mercy” of rumors, at times false, of federal enforcement operations circulated among group chats of merchants and community members.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Once again: It’s a movie about a mustachioed ping-pong star with a rumored $70 million budget.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Oasis reunited to the concert stage in grand form, and the reunion tour that began in July is rumored to resume in 2026.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But I couldn’t predict how bizarre her flailing would be, especially after she publicly hugged Vance in a way that stoked widespread rumors that the two are more than friends.

Read more on Salon

Department of the Interior confirms rumors that have been swirling for weeks.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• comment 
• fabrication 
• falsehood 
• gossip 
• hearsay 
• hoax 
• innuendo 
• lie 
• news 
• report 
• scandal 
• story 
• suggestion 
• tale 
• whisper 
• word 

When To Use

What does rumor mean?

A rumor is a story or statement that is being passed around without confirmation that the information is true, as in I heard a rumor about a new superhero movie.Rumor can also mean general hearsay, as in You shouldn’t put much faith in rumor and speculation. As a verb, rumor means to spread or report rumors. When used this way, it is usually accompanied by the thing that is a rumor, as in It has been rumored that Disney is building a new amusement park outside the city. While rumor does mean the information hasn’t been checked, it is still possible for it to be true. For this reason, rumor may not always be able to be used as a synonym for words like lie, falsehood, nonsense, or fiction.In British English, rumor is often spelled as rumour.A person who loves spreading rumors is called a rumormonger.Example: My gossipy neighbor loves spreading ridiculous rumors all over town.