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

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

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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

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

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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
  • Nonmaterialism was the sort of wishful nonsense preached by those who weren’t in any real danger of going hungry.
    — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Personally, this idea that the woke nonsense is just an outmoded relic of the past is ridiculous.
    — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 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
  • Beyond the seating area is the hotel shop with a vibrant range of pottery to drool over.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Who had broken a wrist on the back-yard flagstones, drooled cherry medicine down her sleeping face on the car ride back from the hospital.
    — Emma Cline, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of drool
Verb
  • There’s precious little room here for expansion, something that has led to chatter from time to time about a possible move away from west London’s Shepherd’s Bush district.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • If Hollywood is quick to take a bite out of an injured party, the town’s Mandarins and chattering classes are equally swift to offer advice, solicited or not.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of chatter
Noun
  • Most conflicts between humans and bears are traced back to human food, garbage, pet food, bird seed, or other things that attract bears.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Occupants of a residence on the 1400 block of 104th Avenue were angry at the auto body shop for parking lots of cars outside, loud noises and excessive garbage.
    — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 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
  • One of them apparently hooked the fish, but the shark spat out the bait, according to Kohanchi’s account of events in the video.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • When most of us think about edible seeds, our minds usually jump to chia seeds stirred into smoothies or overnight oats, pumpkin seeds roasted after carving jack-o'-lanterns each fall, or sunflower seeds chewed and spit out at a baseball game.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of spit
Verb
  • The group usually sees two or three families each time, inviting them to chat and get connected with the organization and other mutual aid groups.
    — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Catherine doesn’t share about her life right away, instead choosing to chat about Jean’s canning abilities.
    — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of chat

Browse Nearby Words

drive (into)
drivel
driveled
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Cite this Entry

“Drivel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drivel. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on drivel

Nglish: Translation of drivel for Spanish Speakers

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