mum

1 of 5

adjective

: silent
keep mum

mum

2 of 5

verb

mummed; mumming

intransitive verb

1
: to perform in a pantomime
2
: to go about merrymaking in disguise during festivals

mum

3 of 5

noun (1)

: a strong ale or beer

mum

4 of 5

chiefly British spelling of mom

mum

5 of 5

noun

Examples of mum in a Sentence

Adjective I'd like to know how much they paid, but they've been mum on that subject. kept mum about the surprise bridal shower
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Dozens of brands contacted by The New York Times for this article, many of whom had already shipped spring collections for 2024, were similarly mum. Elizabeth Paton, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024 Carriers are notoriously mum about why their networks go down. Catherine Thorbecke, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024 In the months and weeks before the newest season dropped, FX was characteristically mum on just who the starry cast of AHS alums and newbies alike are playing. Lauren Huff, EW.com, 21 Sep. 2023 As for the possible future H-E-B, the company purchased the land at The Shops at Chisholm Trail Ranch in March 2023 but has been mum about its plans. Matt Leclercq, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Jan. 2024 Even those who initially supported the commission’s work, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who hailed the panel as a historic step forward for Black Americans, have largely been mum about implementing its recommendations. Emmanuel Felton, Washington Post, 28 Jan. 2024 And then there are the silent Republicans, figures like Governors Ron DeSantis and Glenn Youngkin—those who have been deafeningly mum on January 6. Alex Thomas, The New Republic, 7 Apr. 2023 The Pentagon wants everyone to know the X-37B spaceplane exists, but military officials are mum about the details of the vehicle's missions. Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 10 Nov. 2023 No word on Williams Stevens was similarly mum on Grant Williams’s status as a restricted free agent. Adam Himmelsbach, BostonGlobe.com, 1 June 2023
Noun
Show creator Taylor Sheridan has been mum on the subject. Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2024 Since then, the couple has mostly remained mum on their relationship. Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Apr. 2024 The Orange County Business Journal estimates construction on the site cost $500 million, but the House of Mouse was mum on the official cost. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024 But the company has been mum on whether any of the tools are profitable when compared with the cost of running them. Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024 After another relationship came to an end, my mum surprised me with a reassuring squeeze. Cynthia Shanmugalingam, Vogue, 14 Apr. 2024 Growing up, my mum would tell me to never leave the house without Vaseline. Debra Edwards, Essence, 21 Mar. 2024 Shanahan, 38, the ex-wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, kept mum on her VP aspirations during a chat with USA TODAY on Monday. USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024 However, Kelce remained mum about his decision after the game and in the months since. Sean Neumann, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024

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

Adjective

Middle English mom, momme, probably imitative of a sound made with closed lips

Verb

Middle English mommen, to mumble, perform (a mummer's play), probably in part from mom, in part from Middle French momer to go masked

Noun (1)

German Mumme

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

circa 1623, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1891, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mum was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near mum

Cite this Entry

“Mum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mum. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

mum

1 of 3 adjective
: silent sense 1
keep mum

mum

2 of 3 noun

mum

3 of 3

chiefly British variant of mom

More from Merriam-Webster on mum

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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