1
: talk or opinion widely disseminated with no discernible source
2
: a statement or report current without known authority for its truth
3
archaic
: talk or report of a notable person or event
4
: a soft low indistinct sound : murmur
Synonyms
Examples of rumor in a Sentence
Noun
There are rumors that they are making a new film.
She accused him of starting rumors about her.
Ever since his sudden resignation, rumors have been flying.
I heard a rumor that they broke up.
“Did you hear that they broke up?” “That's just a rumor.”
The rumor turned out to be false.
You can't fire him solely based on rumor.
Rumor has it that they broke up.
Verb
for years people have been rumoring the CEO's imminent retirement
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Recent Examples on the Web
Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 30 Nov. 2023
The circumstances surrounding Corey Perry’s initial absence from the Chicago Blackhawks led to rumors that he was sent home after having an intimate relationship with a teammate’s mother.
—Eric MacRamalla, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
Chris Evans has heard the rumors of a possible Avengers reunion in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s next phase, but no one’s approached him about it thus far.
—Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Nov. 2023
The Thanksgiving outing comes after the pair sparked romance rumors during their time on Dancing with the Stars.
—Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 27 Nov. 2023
According to Norton’s book, rumors in town insisted that Lund was on drugs or ran off with a boyfriend to start a new life.
—Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News, 26 Nov. 2023
Sandy says those same rumors hit her doorstep as soon as Stephen's body was taken for an autopsy.
—Nikki Battiste, CBS News, 25 Nov. 2023
Nicolás Linares, 59, left Acapulco briefly after Otis made landfall to join his brother in Zihuatanejo, a coastal resort about 150 miles north, but returned this month after hearing rumors that services had been restored.
—Emiliano Rodríguez Mega, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2023
In a report published Tuesday, Gurman revealed that Sonos is months away from releasing a competitor to high-end wireless headphones after years of vague rumors.
—Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, 22 Nov. 2023
Brian Bushard, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
The pair was rumored to have gone from friends to romantic interests after the fashion show — and the rest is royal history.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 28 Nov. 2023
In fact, Her Majesty is rumored to have even planted a tree on the property.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 27 Nov. 2023
Irving, often rumored to be a target of the Lakers, drilled an open three and LeBron James’ pass to Anthony Davis at the rim missed its mark, helping the Mavericks squeak out a 104-101 win in a wildly entertaining game.
—Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 23 Nov. 2023
By 1979, Oates was on the shortlist for the Nobel Prize, according to the Washington Post, and since then she has been rumored to be on the shortlist several more times.
—Rachel Aviv, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023
Google DeepMind is developing a powerful AI model of its own, called Gemini, that is rumored to have multimodal capabilities.
—WIRED, 16 Nov. 2023
Another collector tells Robb Report that, as recently as 2017, he was quoted a one-year wait time for a Voutilainen timepiece; now, it’s rumored to be 10 to 12 years.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 18 Nov. 2023
Lori Harvey In July 2019, Diddy and Lori Harvey were rumored to be dating as they were seen taking a stroll through New York City’s SoHo neighborhood together.
—Rebecca Aizin, Peoplemag, 18 Nov. 2023
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Noun
No less than the head of the German marque’s performance division, Frank van Meel, quashed the rumors that the company is planning to release an EV under the name, according to Top Gear.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 30 Nov. 2023
The circumstances surrounding Corey Perry’s initial absence from the Chicago Blackhawks led to rumors that he was sent home after having an intimate relationship with a teammate’s mother.
—Eric MacRamalla, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
Chris Evans has heard the rumors of a possible Avengers reunion in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s next phase, but no one’s approached him about it thus far.
—Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Nov. 2023
The Thanksgiving outing comes after the pair sparked romance rumors during their time on Dancing with the Stars.
—Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 27 Nov. 2023
According to Norton’s book, rumors in town insisted that Lund was on drugs or ran off with a boyfriend to start a new life.
—Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News, 26 Nov. 2023
Sandy says those same rumors hit her doorstep as soon as Stephen's body was taken for an autopsy.
—Nikki Battiste, CBS News, 25 Nov. 2023
Nicolás Linares, 59, left Acapulco briefly after Otis made landfall to join his brother in Zihuatanejo, a coastal resort about 150 miles north, but returned this month after hearing rumors that services had been restored.
—Emiliano Rodríguez Mega, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2023
In a report published Tuesday, Gurman revealed that Sonos is months away from releasing a competitor to high-end wireless headphones after years of vague rumors.
—Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, 22 Nov. 2023
Verb
Dimon, who was named CEO of JPMorgan Chase in 2006, had been initially rumored to serve as treasury secretary after Trump’s victory in the 2016 election, though Dimon dismissed those rumors and the job went to investment banker Steven Mnuchin.
—Brian Bushard, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
The pair was rumored to have gone from friends to romantic interests after the fashion show — and the rest is royal history.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 28 Nov. 2023
In fact, Her Majesty is rumored to have even planted a tree on the property.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 27 Nov. 2023
Irving, often rumored to be a target of the Lakers, drilled an open three and LeBron James’ pass to Anthony Davis at the rim missed its mark, helping the Mavericks squeak out a 104-101 win in a wildly entertaining game.
—Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 23 Nov. 2023
By 1979, Oates was on the shortlist for the Nobel Prize, according to the Washington Post, and since then she has been rumored to be on the shortlist several more times.
—Rachel Aviv, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023
Google DeepMind is developing a powerful AI model of its own, called Gemini, that is rumored to have multimodal capabilities.
—WIRED, 16 Nov. 2023
Another collector tells Robb Report that, as recently as 2017, he was quoted a one-year wait time for a Voutilainen timepiece; now, it’s rumored to be 10 to 12 years.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 18 Nov. 2023
Lori Harvey In July 2019, Diddy and Lori Harvey were rumored to be dating as they were seen taking a stroll through New York City’s SoHo neighborhood together.
—Rebecca Aizin, Peoplemag, 18 Nov. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rumor.' 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
Noun
Middle English rumour, from Anglo-French, from Latin rumor clamor, gossip; akin to Old English rēon to lament, Sanskrit rauti he roars
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1548, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of rumor was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing rumor
Dictionary Entries Near rumor
Cite this Entry
“Rumor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rumor. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on rumor
Nglish: Translation of rumor for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of rumor for Arabic Speakers
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