drivel

1 of 2

noun

1

: nonsense

Don't waste your time reading such drivel.

2

archaic : drool sense 1

drivel

2 of 2

verb

driv·​el ˈdri-vəl 

driveled or drivelled; driveling or drivelling ˈdri-v(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to talk stupidly and carelessly

What is he driveling about now?

2

: to let saliva dribble from the mouth : slaver

driveler

ˈdri-v(ə-)lər 

noun

Synonyms

Noun

• nonsense
• garbage
• nuts
• rubbish
• blah
• stupidity
• drool
• silliness
• twaddle

Verb

• drool
• spit

Examples of drivel in a Sentence

Noun

that critic's reviews are nothing but self-important drivel

my roommate talks in her sleep, but it's just drivel

Verb

What is he driveling about now?

the panting dog driveled on my hand

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Poison for one’s brand, such corporate drivel undermines trust in you and your company, turning away prospects. —Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025

Some of it is certainly unlistenable, but the gems outweigh the drivel. —Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 23 July 2025

Verb

In the painting Meaningless, 2003, for example, the words meaningless, senseless, and irrelevant eventually give way to blather, blabber, babble, then to drivel and drool, and, finally, to blah-blah-blah. —Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 May 2025

Our campuses are a mess — citadels of conformism and drivel. —Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 19 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Old English dreflian; perhaps akin to Old Norse draf malt dregs

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for drivel

• civil
• divil
• shrivel
• swivel
• uncivil

Kids Definition

drivel

1 of 2 verb

driv·​el ˈdriv-əl 

driveled or drivelled; driveling or drivelling -(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to let saliva dribble from the mouth : slobber

2

: to talk stupidly

driveler noun

or driveller

-(ə-)lər

drivel

2 of 2 noun

: nonsense sense 1