murmur

1 of 2

noun

mur·​mur ˈmər-mər 

1

: a half-suppressed or muttered complaint : grumbling

murmurs of disapproval

2

a

: a low indistinct but often continuous sound

a murmur of voices

the murmur of the waves along the shore

b

: a soft or gentle utterance

the murmur of nannies cooing into baby carriages

—Nancy Gibbs

3

: an atypical sound of the heart typically indicating a functional or structural abnormality

The physician detected a heart murmur in his patient.

murmur

2 of 2

verb

murmured; murmuring; murmurs

intransitive verb

1

: to make a murmur

the breeze murmured in the pines

2

: complain, grumble

transitive verb

: to say in a murmur

murmurer noun

Synonyms

Noun

• beef
• bitch
• bleat
• carp
• complaint
• fuss
• grievance
• gripe
• grouch
• grouse
• grumble
• holler
• kvetch
• lament
• miserere
• moan
• plaint
• squawk
• wail
• whimper
• whine
• whinge [British]
• yammer

Verb

• beef
• bellyache
• bitch
• bleat
• carp
• caterwaul
• complain
• crab
• croak
• fuss
• gripe
• grizzle
• grouch
• grouse
• growl
• grumble
• grump
• holler
• inveigh
• keen
• kick
• kvetch
• maunder [chiefly British]
• moan
• mutter
• nag
• repine
• scream
• squawk
• squeal
• wail
• whimper
• whine
• whinge [British]
• yammer
• yawp
• yaup
• yowl

Examples of murmur in a Sentence

Noun

the murmur of the crowd

The suggestion brought murmurs of disapproval.

He spoke in a murmur.

They spoke to each other in murmurs.

the murmur of the waves along the shore

Verb

He murmured something about having to get home.

“Thank you,” she murmured as she left the room.

The breeze murmured in the pines.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Elk Grove Realtor Britt Wiseman was shocked to hear there were murmurs of people moving out because of the zoo. —Marcus D. Smith, Sacramento Bee, 23 May 2024

The account is well-told and worth knowing, even without conspiratorial murmurs. —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English murmure, from Anglo-French disturbance, from Latin murmur murmur, roar, of imitative origin

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing murmur

• without a murmur

Kids Definition

murmur

1 of 2 noun

mur·​mur ˈmər-mər 

1

: a muttered complaint : grumble

2

: a low, faint, and continuous sound

the murmur of bees

3

: an irregular heart sound typically indicating an abnormality in the heart's function or structure

murmur

2 of 2 verb

1

: to make a murmur

the breeze murmured in the pines

2

: to say in a voice too low to be heard clearly

murmurer noun

Medical Definition

murmur

noun

mur·​mur ˈmər-mər 

: an atypical sound of the heart typically indicating a functional or structural abnormality

called also heart murmur