drivel 1 of 2

noun

Definition of drivelnext
1
as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense that critic's reviews are nothing but self-important drivel

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in babble
unintelligible or meaningless talk my roommate talks in her sleep, but it's just drivel

Synonyms & Similar Words

drivel

2 of 2

verb

ˈdri-vəl How to pronounce drivel (audio)
1
as in to drool
to let saliva or some other substance flow from the mouth the panting dog driveled on my hand

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to chatter
to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and usually unintelligibly he driveled on about his "distinguished" family for what seemed like hours

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of drivel
Noun
Stop asking the conceptual drivel that any candidate would know. — Nain Abdi, Forbes.com, 3 Feb. 2026 Will anyone please save us from this drivel? — Mark Kennedy, Boston Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
In the painting Meaningless, 2003, for example, the words meaningless, senseless, and irrelevant eventually give way to blather, blabber, babble, then to drivel and drool, and, finally, to blah-blah-blah. — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 May 2025 Gretchen Bender superimposes potent phrases or ideas onto television screens blaring out the usual stream of nonsense, drivel and enticement. — Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2023 See All Example Sentences for drivel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drivel
  1. nonsense
  2. babble
  3. drool
  4. chatter
  5. garbage
  6. prattle
  7. spit
  8. chat
Noun
  • His music often transforms a nonsense line or a passing thought into something profound.
    — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 16 July 2026
  • The show, created by Stephen Hillenburg, made its official debut after that on July 17, 1999, and it's been nautical nonsense from that day on.
    — Bianca Harris, USA Today, 15 July 2026
Definition of nonsense
Noun
  • Companies modelled after Mary Kay that have reprised empowerment babble for their founders’ gain are mentioned but receive scarce judgment.
    — Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 15 July 2026
  • The film almost completely drops any and all scientific babble from the book in favor of character development, action sequences, and emotional gut punches.
    — Matthew Razak, Space.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Definition of babble
Verb
  • Some of the signs of overheating include heavy panting or drooling, a rapid pulse, bright red gums or tongue, labored breathing, difficulty standing, vomiting or diarrhea and a fever.
    — Cody Godwin, USA Today, 16 July 2026
  • Typically, the consequence of a sunny Open Championship is firm and fast playing conditions that make golf fans drool.
    — Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 16 July 2026
Definition of drool
Verb
  • Around the family, people shared takeout dinners, swung on hammocks and chattered.
    — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2026
  • The youthful musicians chattered away like creatures of the Transylvanian night.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Definition of chatter
Noun
  • Take down bird feeders, empty water features, add fencing or other wildlife barriers, and prevent access to garbage bins.
    — Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 22 July 2026
  • This buildup occurs substantially in the brain, like garbage piling up when the trash collectors stop coming.
    — William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of garbage
Noun
  • The Korean Football Association was furious, responding to this juvenile, but ultimately harmless, prattle by boycotting the Korean press.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 24 June 2026
  • Some of the prattle can feel like treading water, a delaying tactic until the inevitable confrontation scene.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
Definition of prattle
Verb
  • That’s when a 17-year-old girl spit at an officer when she was asked to leave the area, authorities said.
    — WBFF STAFF, Baltimore Sun, 13 July 2026
  • The final game of their series win against the Colorado Rockies coincided with the second day of the 2026 MLB Draft, when teams start drafting based on outlier tools, senior signability or the statistical analyses their internal models spit out.
    — Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 13 July 2026
Definition of spit
Verb
  • Stay connected with friends, keep the group chat alive and find something else to look forward to.
    — Maria Santana, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
  • Between the initial conversation and the delivery, the AI is always available via text or chat to deal with anything from adding delivery instructions to double-checking order details to even rescheduling a delivery.
    — Satish Natarajan, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of chat

Browse Nearby Words

drive (into)
drivel
driveled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Drivel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drivel. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on drivel

Nglish: Translation of drivel for Spanish Speakers

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

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

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

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

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
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All