murmur 1 of 2

noun

ˈmər-mər How to pronounce murmur (audio)
Definition of murmurnext
1
as in whine
an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment finished the tedious job without a murmur

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2
as in muttering
speech that is not clear enough to be understood could just barely hear the murmurs of the audience

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murmur

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely no prisoner dared murmur out loud

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2
as in to mutter
to speak softly and unclearly a college professor who tends to murmur

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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 murmur
Noun
The following week, Marc saw his primary care physician, who also detected the murmur and referred him to a cardiologist. — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2026 So even as the national debt recently passed the $40 trillion landmark, there was barely a murmur coming from the party of fiscal responsibility. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
Verb
In the stands, fans murmured beneath their breath, wondering what new math the Kiffin’s successor could be pondering. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026 Someone murmured something about bacon and eggs being more appropriate at this time of day. — Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for murmur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for murmur
  1. whine
  2. muttering
  3. complain
  4. mutter
  5. complaint
  6. whisper
  7. scream
  8. mumble
Noun
  • Our Chesapeake Bay Retriever dog saw them too and enthusiastically let out a small whine.
    — Kody Lostroh, Denver Post, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The mystic whine of Christine Ott and Mathieu Gabry’s score carries us into a hidden world of ancient Thai deities living inside the mountain’s caves and tunnels.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of whine
Noun
  • From the first take to the last, the scene evolves quite dramatically, and the final take is the one that most closely resembles the scene in the finished episode (though, sadly, Ned’s introductory muttering seems to have been cut for time).
    — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The opportunity to send a raucous Bell Centre crowd home muttering was there in Game 3.
    — Eduardo A. Encina, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
Definition of muttering
Verb
  • Someone else even complained about the self-clean feature ruining their appliance.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2026
  • By July, morale among immigration officers had dipped below its nadir during the Biden Administration, with agents now complaining of being overextended, inundated with novice recruits, and undermined by inflammatory rhetoric from on high.
    — Francisco Cantú, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of complain
Verb
  • The only thing left in the field was a distraught college kid, pacing back and forth, muttering to himself, and suffering over what might have been.
    — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The camera then cut to McCarthy, who muttered a profanity in response.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of mutter
Noun
  • On Tuesday, Su was charged with murder and assault with a deadly weapon in a Palo Alto courtroom, with the complaint also alleging that Chen personally inflicted great bodily injury during the assault and that the victim was particularly vulnerable.
    — Senior Editor, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
  • The Kennedy complaint goes a step further, citing a recent forensic analysis by the Washington Post that shows the arch would cast shadows over tens of thousands of graves.
    — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of complaint
Noun
  • Stepping into a pool of mid-afternoon light, Claire Mazza raised her left arm above her head, eyes fixed on the whisper-thin space between her thumb and second finger.
    — Lucy Gellman, Hartford Courant, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Even as everyone is talking to Jeff at Tribal, there are whispers back and forth, and the only words emerging are Eric and Brady, with a lot of I don’t knows thrown in for good measure.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of whisper
Verb
  • Upon arriving at Bottiglierivega's door, a police sergeant heard screaming and spotted blood nearby.
    — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Officers arrived at the scene and found people screaming as a man was lying in the street, suffering from gunshot wounds.
    — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of scream
Verb
  • The teen, bare-chested with unkempt hair under an askew cap, mumbles through a half-hearted apology and refuses to remove his ostentatious sunglasses when asked by the interviewer.
    — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Nov. 2026
  • My brother looks at the floor, mumbles something, and then shuffles away from the table.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of mumble

Browse Nearby Words

murky
murmur
murmured
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Cite this Entry

“Murmur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murmur. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on murmur

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about murmur

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