jabber

1 of 2

verb

jab·​ber ˈja-bər How to pronounce jabber (audio)
jabbered; jabbering ˈja-b(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce jabber (audio)

intransitive verb

: to talk rapidly, indistinctly, or unintelligibly

transitive verb

: to speak rapidly or indistinctly
jabberer noun

jabber

2 of 2

noun

Examples of jabber in a Sentence

Verb They jabbered away for hours. She rushed into the room jabbering something about a dog. Noun to me the baby's speech was simply jabber, but his mother claimed to know exactly what he was saying
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.
Verb
Asking Eric: These women jabber about the trip I wasn’t invited on. R. Eric Thomas, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024 Flying on cocaine, he’s become a jabbering head case who proceeds to kill himself by bashing his face with a circular 35-pound workout weight. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 Oct. 2024 Hello Kitty blanket while Gazal jabbered to a wild-haired imitation Barbie doll dressed as a bride. Eliza Griswold, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2024 Sometimes, being a conservative means jabbering about your philosophical views, however rickety, over a plate of overcooked chicken. Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 14 July 2023 An investigation revealed that jabbering shore operators had hampered communications with the rescue ship. Ariel Bleicher, IEEE Spectrum, 20 Mar. 2013 That was more than enough fodder to get soccer fans in the two cities jabbering back and forth − a good start toward achieving rivalry status considering the two organizations had never met on a field. The Enquirer, 24 Mar. 2023 Politicians and pundits spent the evening in those little boxes on TV, jabbering about how many angels can fit on the head of a pin — but Robert Mueller isn’t one of them. John Kass, Twin Cities, 28 July 2019 But the sounds of residents enjoying the park during the performance also became part of the piece: jabbering boys with bikes; mothers with babies in strollers; toddlers who approached the singers to hear booming operatic tones close up. New York Times, 22 June 2018
Noun
Worse, such jabber crowds out essential coverage of genuine threats to democracy and the visions of the two parties. Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post, 16 July 2024 Jacobs-Jenkins renders him as a wry, friendly figure who occasionally takes over the bodies of the other characters to explain what is happening beneath their jabber. Jesse Green, New York Times, 5 June 2023 Incriminating truths are borne along in the ever-rolling stream of online jabber; how can one man’s toxic underpants, nearly two years old, stand a chance against the slapping of Chris Rock at the Oscars, still less against the waves of disinformation? Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2022 That includes many of his new Florida State teammates who have discovered the defensive end’s propensity for jabber. Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2022 Ohio State strength coach Mickey Marotti is getting in on the jibber jabber with some Michigan staffers in this clip. Nathan Baird, cleveland, 27 Nov. 2021 To paint like that required a meditative focus that was miles from my own internal jabber. Molly Crabapple, The New York Review of Books, 8 July 2021 An older Black man perpetually annoyed by Sterling and Blair's jabber — particularly about the ups and downs of their romances — Bowser only takes on the underage twins as his protégés because the premise of the show demands it. Inkoo Kang, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Aug. 2020 But that’s just verbal jabber mixed with persuasion and cheerleading. Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English jaberen, of imitative origin

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1708, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jabber was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near jabber

Cite this Entry

“Jabber.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jabber. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

jabber

1 of 2 verb
jab·​ber ˈjab-ər How to pronounce jabber (audio)
jabbered; jabbering -(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce jabber (audio)
: to speak too fast or not clearly enough to be understood
jabberer noun

jabber

2 of 2 noun

More from Merriam-Webster on jabber

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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