as in muttering
speech that is not clear enough to be understood
his surprising announcement brought murmurings from the crowd
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in complaining
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
no prisoner dared murmur out loud
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mumbling
to speak softly and unclearly
a college professor who tends to murmur
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in humming
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 murmuring
Greg Petro, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 18 Sep. 2025
Customers in the Dunkin’ have a similar response, murmuring and looking over their shoulders for the Accountant 2 actor.
—Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025
An Indian woman in sports clothes walks past me murmuring an unbroken monologue into her phone.
—Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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
Adjective
The music cuts off, and, gradually, everyone leaves, murmuring about a rave happening not too far away.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 18 Sep. 2025
Customers in the Dunkin’ have a similar response, murmuring and looking over their shoulders for the Accountant 2 actor.
—Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025
An Indian woman in sports clothes walks past me murmuring an unbroken monologue into her phone.
—Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for murmuring
Verb
-
DeWanna Bonner earned a technical foul with six minutes remaining for complaining after a no-call on a second-chance attempt.—
Ben Pickman,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Not that Siegler is complaining.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
My husband has been muttering in a loop about tuition, books, food, and transportation to and from home to campus.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
15 Sep. 2025
-
He was also heard muttering expletives down the stretch, visibly battling the heat and pressure.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The crowd Toronto killed with six early runs revived into a living, screaming organism, cheering the Blue Jays’ compiling collapse.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Luckily, this Prime Day (which takes place on October 7 and 8) there are a handful of screaming hot deals on everything from tents to sleeping bags to multitools and more.—
Alex Robinson,
Outdoor Life,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
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
Adjective
-
The unconventional thriller played like gangbusters to the buzzing New York crowd.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
-
At the time of his sentencing, Williams was a buzzing rapper, with his 2021 mixtape Shiesty Season, his only full-length project, peaking at Number Three on the Billboard 200.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
There’s something moaning in the background.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
10 Oct. 2025
-
The deputies ultimately roll him over before putting on handcuffs as Mull can be heard moaning in pain.—
Nathaniel Percy,
Oc Register,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The transcripts, obtained by Fox News Digital, include teachers whispering to calm students and staff urging children to stay hidden at Annunciation Catholic Church, while passersby outside describe the gunfire.—
Michael Dorgan , Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Pluto’s been whispering to you about long-term transformation; now that whisper may become a roar.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The company stands out for its talented designers who create characters that are emotionally resonant and timeless, and for its commercial team, which keeps those characters relevant through new experiences and interactions.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
8 Oct. 2025
-
In this conversation, George reflects on how SirDavis is reshaping the definition of luxury, how whisky can carry a voice as resonant as a song, and why this brand is built for legacy.—
Hali Bey Ramdene,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Murmuring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murmuring. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share