mutter

verb

mut·​ter ˈmə-tər How to pronounce mutter (audio)
muttered; muttering; mutters
Synonyms of mutternext

intransitive verb

1
: to utter sounds or words indistinctly or with a low voice and with the lips partly closed
… he gestured and muttered furiously in his lawyer's ear.Tana French
2
: to murmur complainingly or angrily : grumble
Some employees muttered about the changes in the pension plan.

transitive verb

: to utter especially in a low or imperfectly articulated manner
muttered an apology
mutter noun
mutterer noun

Examples of mutter in a Sentence

She angrily muttered something about her bad luck. She sat practicing her speech, muttering to herself. Some employees are muttering about the changes in the pension plan.
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.
The volume has gone up again since Ruben Amorim’s recent departure, muttering darkly about Gary Neville’s outside influence in particular. Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2026 The older lady who was muttering to herself in casting is there. Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Jan. 2026 The camera then turns to James Austin Johnson, who played the president, sleeping and muttering New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s name. Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025 On the plane, Dick clutches the slingshot and begins sweating and muttering to himself before becoming unresponsive. Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mutter

Word History

Etymology

Middle English muteren, of imitative origin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mutter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mutter. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

mutter

verb
mut·​ter ˈmət-ər How to pronounce mutter (audio)
1
2
: to murmur complainingly or angrily : grumble
mutter noun
mutterer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on mutter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!