um

interjection

a prolonged
How to pronounce um (audio)
sound
əm
used to indicate hesitation
well, um, I don't know

Examples of um in a Sentence

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 roads are, the one road, there’s only one on the island is, um, super windy and steep. AFAR Media, 30 May 2026 But, um, perspective please, as in consider the pathway that led to this ultimate stage. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 30 May 2026 Our hook is Agnes, the clever, spiraling protagonist who spends a day in 2014 Manhattan trying to, um, get killed. Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 26 May 2026 So, um, that playbook was designed by one of the partners in the firm. Rafael Perez, Daily News, 25 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for um

Word History

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of um was in 1604

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Um.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/um. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

um

interjection
a prolonged
How to pronounce um (audio)
sound, əm
used to express hesitation
well, um, I don't know
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