babble

verb

bab·​ble ˈba-bəl How to pronounce babble (audio)
babbled; babbling ˈba-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce babble (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a
: to talk enthusiastically or excessively
b
: to utter meaningless or unintelligible sounds
2
: to make sounds as though babbling

transitive verb

1
: to utter in an incoherently or meaninglessly repetitious manner
2
: to reveal by talk that is too free
babble noun
babblement noun
babbler noun

Examples of babble in a Sentence

Pay no attention to her. She's just babbling. He'll babble on about sports all night if you let him. Her cousins were babbling in an unfamiliar dialect.
Recent Examples on the Web Most likely, your baby will feel comfortable and confident showing off several skills, including sitting up, rolling over, and maybe even crawling and babbling something close to words. Parents Editors, Parents, 19 Sep. 2023 Keona babbled wistfully to nobody in particular about Lahaina and things broken in the fire. Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2023 On July 14, Amy and John began driving about 1,200 miles home with Ezri, who loves to babble and be carried. Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2023 The bomb was meant to impress and would usually be met with wide eyes, drooling, and babbling. Time, 21 Aug. 2023 When a child babbles and a parent reacts gleefully, the child learns to keep talking and exploring. Jenny Anderson, Time, 8 Aug. 2023 Patients babbled incoherently, melted down while imagining unseen threats and gazed off despondently in the lowest conditions of their lives. Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2023 Now, Abu Zaid is wondering if the terraced fields, babbling creeks and deep desert valleys less than an hour’s drive from his home are too dangerous to traverse. Shira Rubin, Washington Post, 28 June 2023 Traffic growls, sirens wail, tour guides babble, buskers with microphones perform for tips, souvenir shops hawk their wares and passengers pour in and out of the Underground. Jon Marcus, BostonGlobe.com, 15 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'babble.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English babelen, probably of imitative origin

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of babble was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near babble

Cite this Entry

“Babble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/babble. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

babble

1 of 2 verb
bab·​ble
ˈbab-əl
babbled; babbling
ˈbab-(ə-)liŋ
1
a
: to make meaningless sounds
b
: to talk foolishly or too much
2
: to make the sound of a brook
babbler
ˈbab-(ə-)lər
noun

babble

2 of 2 noun
1
: talk that is not clear
2
: the sound of a brook

More from Merriam-Webster on babble

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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