babble

1 of 2

verb

bab·​ble ˈba-bəl 

babbled; babbling ˈba-b(ə-)liŋ 

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

ˈba-bəl-mənt 

noun

babbler

ˈba-b(ə-)lər 

noun

babblement

2 of 2

noun

bab·​ble·​ment ˈba-bəl-mənt 

plural -s

: babble entry 2

Synonyms of babble

Verb

• chatter
• chat
• prattle
• drool
• gibber
• gabble
• shout
• jabber
• sputter
• rattle
• drivel

Examples of babble in a Sentence

Verb

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

Verb

Amid all the record’s babbling, cooing, and shouting, this direct appeal feels like finally meeting daine’s eye across a crowded room. — Aimee Cliff, Pitchfork, 11 Nov. 2026

Our bright, bubbly and babbling toddler might live, but wouldn’t last. — Jen Murphy Parker, Flow Space, 28 Oct. 2026

At home, Lindsey and her husband, Garret, noticed that Jaxson had stopped babbling, and wasn’t able to walk anymore. — Ciara McCarthy 22, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026

An unlined road leads across a babbling river to reveal a striking gray building up on a hill, a massive barn raised in the traditional style that uses only wood pegs — no nails — to hold the structure together. — Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English babelen, probably of imitative origin

First Known Use

Verb

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

Noun

1595, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for babble

• babel
• dabble
• drabble
• gabble
• nabal
• rabble
• scrabble
• immeasurable

Video

A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia

Associate Editor Serenity Carr looks at onomatopoeic words you might not expect, such as bounce and tinker.

Transcript:

When you think of the origins of a word, you think of Old English, or Old French, or Latin, or Sanskrit. But not all words come from a similar word in an older language. Some words come from imitations of the sounds associated with the thing they name. Some are obvious, like fizz, jingle, toot, and pop. Others are less obvious, like slap, bounce, tinker, and cough. So listen carefully to every grunt and murmur, to the prattle and babbling around you. You may be hearing more than just chit-chat.

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