as in muttering
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Dissimilar Words
as in murmuring
to speak softly and unclearly
I can't understand you if you mumble
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mumbling
Sonal Dutt, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025
Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2025
Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 6 Jan. 2026
Tomorrow morning, New Yorkers across the five boroughs will be nursing their hangovers, mumbling bacon, egg, and cheese orders—and welcoming a new mayor.
—Jocelyn Silver, Vogue, 31 Dec. 2025
After Carol Burnett’s Norma spent much of season one mumbling or unconscious in the background, Sylvia wanted her front and center, driving action in season two.
—Trey Williams, HollywoodReporter, 14 Dec. 2025
After whispering and mumbling my way through the ceremony, I was handed the scroll.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2025
Of all the sins that might damn your soul for eternity, mumbling is probably pretty far down the list.
—JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2025
The character in question, Charlie Saxton's Damon Drecker, had a remarkably similar haircut to Samberg's mumbling rapper.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Oct. 2025
During the video, the person can be heard mumbling and breathing heavily.
—Claudia Lauer, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2025
So meagre, my wife, the one sitting next to her, kept mumbling, ‘Is this it?
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
The stop-motion digital series about a jolly, mumbling, pint-size cook serves up a big slice of serotonin.
—Sonal Dutt, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
But between the copy-paste pessimism and lovesick mumbling, there’s a handful of artists on the edge of the underground rewiring guitars in inventive ways.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
The girl was found on the floor mumbling and spitting up blood, according to the warrant affidavit.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 6 Jan. 2026
Tomorrow morning, New Yorkers across the five boroughs will be nursing their hangovers, mumbling bacon, egg, and cheese orders—and welcoming a new mayor.
—Jocelyn Silver, Vogue, 31 Dec. 2025
After Carol Burnett’s Norma spent much of season one mumbling or unconscious in the background, Sylvia wanted her front and center, driving action in season two.
—Trey Williams, HollywoodReporter, 14 Dec. 2025
After whispering and mumbling my way through the ceremony, I was handed the scroll.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2025
Of all the sins that might damn your soul for eternity, mumbling is probably pretty far down the list.
—JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2025
The character in question, Charlie Saxton's Damon Drecker, had a remarkably similar haircut to Samberg's mumbling rapper.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Oct. 2025
During the video, the person can be heard mumbling and breathing heavily.
—Claudia Lauer, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2025
So meagre, my wife, the one sitting next to her, kept mumbling, ‘Is this it?
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mumbling
Noun
-
After an ominous rumble, four holographic figures apparated, then sat in their virtual chairs, facing me.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2026
-
No engine rumble, no exhaust plume; just the quiet churn of waterjets as Hull 096 eased away under its own power for the first time.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The volume has gone up again since Ruben Amorim’s recent departure, muttering darkly about Gary Neville’s outside influence in particular.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
17 Jan. 2026
-
The older lady who was muttering to herself in casting is there.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In daytime, the rumbling of the steppe is subsumed by bright, relentless light.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
-
There have been rumblings that things could be turning for the better, particularly after Harry recently met with his father, King Charles.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
3 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Some signs that the carburetor is clogged on a snow blower are starting then dying a few seconds afterward, jerking, sputtering noises, and black smoke emitting from the exhaust.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Wait for the sputtering sound to subside.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Shockwaves on prices and murmuring of massive layoffs abound at cocktail parties and in discussions with retail and brand executives alike.—
Greg Petro,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The visitors’ locker room inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium was silent, not even a mumble.—
Nicki Jhabvala,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
When Kuminga removed his sweats, walked to the scorer’s table and checked in to begin the second quarter Tuesday night, a murmur grew into a modest standing ovation as the fans inside Chase Center realized what was happening.—
Evan Webeck,
Mercury News,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Outside, the marinas become villages — food stalls, shaded lounges, the steady murmur of deals being courted.—
Eric Barton,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mumbling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mumbling. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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