mumble

[ muhm-buhl ]

verb (used without object)

, mum·bled, mum·bling.

1. to speak in a low indistinct manner, almost to an unintelligible extent; mutter.

   Antonyms: articulate

2. to chew ineffectively, as from loss of teeth:

   to mumble on a crust.

verb (used with object)

, mum·bled, mum·bling.

1. to say or utter indistinctly, as with partly closed lips:

   He mumbled something about expenses.

2. to chew, or try to eat, with difficulty, as from loss of teeth.

noun

1. a low, indistinct utterance or sound.

mumble

/ ˈmʌmbəl /

verb

1. to utter indistinctly, as with the mouth partly closed; mutter
2. rare.
   to chew (food) ineffectually or with difficulty

noun

1. an indistinct or low utterance or sound

Derived Forms

• ˈmumbler, noun
• ˈmumblingly, adverb
• ˈmumbling, adjective

Other Words From

• mumbler noun
• mumbling·ly adverb
• half-mumbled adjective
• un·mumbled adjective
• un·mumbling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mumble¹

1275–1325; Middle English momelen, equivalent to mom ( me ) mum ¹ + -elen -le; compare Dutch mommelen, German mummeln

Word History and Origins

Origin of mumble¹

C14 momelen, from mum ²

Synonym Study

See murmur.

Example Sentences

I think she would be a disaster for this country, just listening to her mumble and evade.

From BBC

I didn’t want to watch Walz keep on calling out the common ground that he and his counterpart share, I wanted Walz to roll his eyes and mumble “C’mon, man” when Vance was trying to pretend that he and Trump cared deeply about women’s reproductive health.

From Slate

This wasn’t cause for concern — a lot of students mumble.

From Salon

With the notable exception of this June’s Trump-Biden debate, in which Trump allowed a somnolent Joe Biden to gawk and mumble his way toward lame-duck status, most of the general-election debates in which Trump has participated since 2016 have been chaotic affairs.

From Slate

“Never heard that before,” he said, because mumble, mumble, George-Washington-and-the-Sound-of-History roaring in his ears.

From Slate

Related Words

• grumble
• murmur
• mutter
• ramble
• rumble
• stammer
• stutter
• utter
• whisper