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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The sketch opened with James Austin Johnson’s Donald Trump putting on a fluorescent sanitation worker vest and babbling to himself in exhaustion. Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 2 Nov. 2024 Feel the raw power of St. Lucia's volcanic formation at the island's Sulphur Springs, hidden among babbling rivers and waterfalls in the jungle near Soufrière. Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2024 My son, Birdie, is babbling, crawling, grinning at me with a sparkle in his eye and giving me slobbery kisses all day every day. Lucille Sherman, Axios, 15 Oct. 2024 In another video, the family of four could be seen taking a ride in a golf cart filled with beach day supplies as Jupiter excitedly babbled in the background. Emma Aerin Becker, People.com, 4 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for babble 

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 13 Dec. 2024.

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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