blather

1 of 2

verb

blath·​er ˈbla-t͟hər How to pronounce blather (audio)
blathered; blathering ˈbla-t͟h(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce blather (audio)

intransitive verb

: to talk foolishly at length
often used with on
blatherer noun

blather

2 of 2

noun

1
: voluble nonsensical or inconsequential talk or writing
2

Examples of blather in a Sentence

Verb my attention wandered as she blathered on about her endlessly active social life Noun listening to a lot of blather from politicians about who's to blame for the bad economy wanted to retire quietly and without all the blather of an office send-off
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
But who needs to blather on when there is a brisk 90-minute set of lush ‘70s and ‘80s classics to administer? Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 27 Sep. 2024 Unfortunately, allowing Trump to blather lies nonstop without fact-checking plays right into a compulsive liar’s hands. Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post, 28 June 2024
Noun
While these events are supposed to motivate voters and help reach out to the undecided, modern conventions more often are uninspired echo chambers of blather. Shannon Bow O'Brien, The Conversation, 8 Aug. 2024 Like many myths, Freud’s statement contains a sliver of truth and a slather of blather. Steven Kotler, Time, 11 Aug. 2023 See all Example Sentences for blather 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blather.' 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

Verb

Old Norse blathra; akin to Middle High German blōdern to chatter

First Known Use

Verb

1524, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1719, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of blather was in 1524

Dictionary Entries Near blather

Cite this Entry

“Blather.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blather. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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