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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
As game-time approached, the tension and murmur of the sell-out crowd reached its crescendo. — Barry M. Bloom, Forbes.com, 15 June 2026 The crowd of supporters didn't cheer, exactly – rather, a murmur ran through the crowd. — Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR, 14 June 2026
Verb
All were filled with Chenier’s murmuring accordion, the rustle of a washboard player and slinky grooves. — Kevin McKeough, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2026 Back through the hotel, past the large lobby bar where deal-making was already murmuring in every corner, and out into the garden where the jasmine caught me again. — Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 May 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
  • Meanwhile, turbo noise fills the cabin alongside the odd electric motor whine.
    — Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • That is, until you are subjected to the relentless whine of mosquitoes.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 June 2026
Definition of whine
Noun
  • 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
  • Rodriguez said in a May phone interview with the Herald that detainees had been complaining when a guard approached him and told him to walk out of the cage where he and other men were housed.
    — Churchill Ndonwie, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2026
  • At the local level, administrators often complain there is little clarity on what is expected of them and, too often, outright conflict.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026
Definition of complain
Verb
  • Bat met ball and, under his breath, Astros manager Joe Espada muttered an expletive.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 29 June 2026
  • In the shadows of the long-hut, the elders muttered among themselves—of portents and crops and weather and the storage of grain.
    — Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026
Definition of mutter
Noun
  • Attorneys for the building’s defendants have denied the allegations in court filings and any liability for the accident, and have filed a third-party complaint against the construction company that employed Rojas.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 9 July 2026
  • The lawsuit aims to become a class action and comes after weeks of fierce criticism and complaints from customers regarding the company’s practices.
    — Lily Wright, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Definition of complaint
Noun
  • But eccentricity is only the visible tip of the vast iceberg of Vibeke’s mental health issues, and soon Karl and Rikke are conferring in low whispers about whether, and when, to slip some ground-up sleeping pills into her drink.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 7 July 2026
  • Students enter the classroom about a minute later, and voices, whispers and laughter can be heard before the recording ends.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of whisper
Verb
  • From the outset of the selloff earlier this year, Jim Cramer was screaming from the rooftops that cyber should never have been lumped into run-of-the-mill enterprise software.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 7 July 2026
  • There were no vendors hawking bootleg royal-wedding merch, no screaming lines of fans, not even that many impromptu sing-alongs (some were solicited by journalists looking for content).
    — Zach Schiffman, Curbed, 6 July 2026
Definition of scream
Verb
  • Next up, maybe lawmakers can do something about overly soft, mumbling dialogue preceded by deafening explosions.
    — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026
  • This succession was muddied thanks to the meddling of the King’s Hand, Otto Hightower, and the king’s own mumbled words on his deathbed to his wife, Alicent.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 20 June 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 15 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on murmur

Nglish: Translation of murmur for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about murmur

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