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

The 63-year-old Boluarte appeared outside her home in Lima to dispel rumors that she would flee abroad, telling journalists: "Media reports said... that I was looking to get asylum. None of that is true."

Read more on Barron's

The ceaseless churn of NBA gossip and debate can feel larger than the game itself; it’s not uncommon for a trade rumor, quote or perceived insult to consume a news cycle.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Ryan Fournier, a conservative activist, had promoted the post and took it down late Sunday, several days after the rumor began circulating, she said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“No way,” he said when he heard about the rumors.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In September, he dismissed social media rumors swirling about his health -- including false posts that he had died.

Read more on Barron's

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.