hmm

interjection

ˈᵊm  ˈhᵊm 

often with a prolonged syllabic m

variants or less commonly hm or hmmm

1

—used to express the action or process of thinking

Hmm. Maybe we should just skip dinner and go straight to the French mousse cake?

—Sunset

Let's get one question out of the way immediately … : does Spike Lee like to cause trouble? "Hmm," he says, sighing. "Yeah, I guess you could call me an instigator."

—Patrick Demarchelier

As an undergraduate, I settled on history, and diplomatic history, because I had a really cool professor. I was thinking, Hmmm, I wonder how you get to be a diplomat?

—Julia Wilkinson

2

—used to emphasize that one has asked a question and is awaiting an answer

"So …, today we have revenge, today we knocked you out of the World Cup. What do you say? Hmm?"

—Ron McKay

But tell Santa the truth now, what's the most important part to a little boy or girl? The box? The wrapping paper? Or the game that comes in the box? Hmmm? It's the present, of course.

—Mark Newman

3

—used to request repetition or clarification of something just said

"So tell me," I said. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" "Hmm?" "What brings you here?"

—David Housewright

Examples of hmm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And when Cho Chang was … hmm … was Cho Chang Asian? —Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 4 Oct. 2025

But if the payout is $1 billion—hmm. —Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, 2 Sep. 2025

Why did no one in the room think: hmm isn't this a bit tone deaf. —Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 20 Feb. 2025

After all, that is what Liverpool have done at Anfield, Fulham are doing at Craven Cottage (although that might not be the best argument for renovation) and Crystal Palace have been talking about doing at Selhurst Park for years… hmm, renovation might not be so easy. —Matt Slater, The Athletic, 5 Aug. 2024

Yet, hmm, Polk remains on BKFC’s website roster as of today. —Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2024

Unlike some other Bachelor franchise lightning rods (Lee Garrett, Luke Parker, Chad Johnson... hmm all the really bad ones are men), Olivia wasn’t actually that terrible. —Lia Beck, refinery29.com, 22 June 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hmm

• mm-hmm