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Synonyms

um

American  
[uhm, uhn, uhm, uhn] / ʌm, ʌ̃, əm, ə̃ /
Or umm

interjection

  1. (used as an expression of doubt, hesitation, deliberation, interest, etc.)

um 1 British  
/ ʌm, əm /

interjection

  1. a representation of a common sound made when hesitating in speech

"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
um 2 British  

abbreviation

  1. US Minor Outlying Islands

"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

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.

“Problems with his brain? Um. Can you give me a little more context?”

From Salon

Since the fourth-inning blast soared over the right-field roof, um, er, I’ll go with that one.

From Los Angeles Times

“So we watched it together and my dad was like, ‘Um, what is this movie about?’”

From The Wall Street Journal

Amorim added: "If we have um a a little bit more bravery, we can kill this game."

From Barron's

Let’s turn to the struggling beer business, and one brewer’s, um, innovation.

From Barron's

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.