mumble

verb

mum·​ble ˈməm-bəl 

mumbled; mumbling ˈməm-b(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

: to utter words in a low confused indistinct manner : mutter

transitive verb

1

: to utter with a low inarticulate voice

2

: to chew or bite with or as if with toothless gums

mumble noun

mumbler

ˈməm-b(ə-)lər 

noun

mumbly

ˈməm-b(ə-)lē 

adjective

Synonyms

• mutter

Examples of mumble in a Sentence

He mumbled something and then left.

He mumbled “Goodbye” and then left.

I can't understand you when you mumble.

Recent Examples on the Web

The teen, bare-chested with unkempt hair under an askew cap, mumbles through a half-hearted apology and refuses to remove his ostentatious sunglasses when asked by the interviewer. —EW.com, 9 July 2025

His few radio appearances were mumbled, halting, awkward. —arkansasonline.com, 5 July 2025

We’re used to the actual pick announcements being mumbled into a microphone, so contracting out some charisma wasn’t the worst idea. —Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 28 June 2025

Sly extended his hand without raising his body and mumbled several in decipherable sentences. —Timothy Crouse, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English momelen, of imitative origin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing mumble

• mumble peg
• mumble-the-peg

Rhymes for mumble

• bumble
• crumble
• fumble
• grumble
• humble
• jumble
• rumble
• stumble
• tumble
• umbel

Kids Definition

mumble

1 of 2 verb

mum·​ble

ˈməm-bəl

mumbled; mumbling

-b(ə-)liŋ

1

: to speak softly and unclearly

2

: to eat with or as if with toothless gums

a baby mumbling its food

mumbler

-b(ə-)lər

noun

mumbly

-b(ə-)lē

adjective

mumble

2 of 2 noun

: speech that is not clear enough to be understood