1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

babel

noun

ˈbā-bəl How to pronounce babel (audio)
Definition of babelnext
1
as in bedlam
a place of uproar or confusion on opening day the area's newest big-box store was an incredible babel

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in noise
loud, confused, and usually inharmonious sound the babel of wheeling and dealing that can be heard at the stock exchange every day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for babel
  1. bedlam
  2. noise
  3. madhouse
  4. roar
  5. circus
  6. rattle
  7. chatter
  8. din
Noun
  • But this is preposterous, this is insanity, this is the very essence of bedlam.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Against this bedlam, Rhaenyra tries to fashion herself a real queen.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 July 2026
Definition of bedlam
Noun
  • Between announcements, conversations, engine noise, and everything else happening around you, reducing these additional sounds can make a long travel day much more comfortable.
    — Julie Rousseau, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 2026
  • After all, how dare the franchise depart from its humble instrumental beginnings and have a human making mouth noises over the opening credits?
    — Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of noise
Noun
  • Whereas this evening in the Spanish Gothic madhouse of the United Theater, most every song from Melanie’s Hadean pageant is received with near word-perfect communalism.
    — Matt Thompson, SPIN, 13 July 2026
  • Headphones are often my saving grace in this madhouse.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 17 Apr. 2026
Definition of madhouse
Noun
  • Finally, the structure crumbled in a roar of broken concrete and a cloud of dust.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The unsentimental roar is, of course, a translation of Chekhov’s saws, and a good one at that.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of roar
Noun
  • Pattinson throws his whole being into embodying the ringmaster rapidly losing control of his circus.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Any team that works out Kaepernick invites an immediate circus of scrutiny and racial hysteria.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of circus
Noun
  • The noise and defense rattle Boley into four sacks and his first interception as a Sun Devil.
    — Manny Navarro, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Servants called flappers are required to shake rattles in their ears to keep them from falling or bumping into things.
    — Dónal Gill, The Dial, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of rattle
Noun
  • These birds, with their intense, sharp eyes and bold, sturdy appearance, are selective in their social bonds and communicate in loud, rattling chatter.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The group, including Shawn Mendes, Bruna Marquezine, and Edward Norton, relaxed and unwinded as conversations and chatter got louder.
    — Lucrezia Malavolta, Vogue, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of chatter
Noun
  • Mahomes was the last Chiefs player to be announced during pregame introductions, roaring himself as the din inside of Arrowhead Stadium reached a crescendo.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026
  • There would be preseason practices where Minter’s voice didn’t rise above the din of a typical training camp workout.
    — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of din
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.

Browse Nearby Words

babe
babel
babels
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Babel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/babel. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of argot

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All