murmuring 1 of 3

noun

as in muttering
speech that is not clear enough to be understood his surprising announcement brought murmurings from the crowd

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murmuring

2 of 3

adjective

as in humming

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murmuring

3 of 3

verb

present participle of murmur
1
as in complaining
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely no prisoner dared murmur out loud

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

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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 murmuring
Noun
Indoors is all warm palettes, rich tilework, and high ceilings, with the murmuring of locals and guests swiping the last of their basil-green fusilli with creamy stracciatella. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026 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
Verb
Or at least squeezed in a solid couch nap with baseball/golf/soccer/primo history programming murmuring in the background. — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 22 June 2026 Alejo listens carefully, occasionally offering a tissue or murmuring consolations. — Megan Greenwell, Bloomberg, 9 June 2026 All were filled with Chenier’s murmuring accordion, the rustle of a washboard player and slinky grooves. — Kevin McKeough, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2026 But many questions went unanswered, frustrating many murmuring and grumbling attendees. — Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026 His father trailed him on the ice, murmuring. — Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2026 Rarely have Hunt’s compositions felt so jittery and full of life as the title track, which blooms from murmuring drones into shimmering bokehs of synth programming. — Colin Joyce, Pitchfork, 28 Jan. 2026 Two students have unrolled what looks like an incomplete treasure map, and lean over it with magnifying glasses, murmuring to one another. — Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for murmuring
  1. muttering
  2. humming
  3. complaining
  4. mumbling
  5. mutter
  6. buzzing
  7. screaming
  8. whispering
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
Adjective
  • The Colts’ offense is absolutely humming.
    — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 2025
Definition of humming
Verb
  • Parents keep complaining to me that their kids are sedentary at school, even though humans need to keep moving throughout the day to be healthy.
    — Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Aside from social media posts complaining about the war’s fallout and some grumbling from oligarchs about the Kremlin seizing their assets, there are still no signs of any widespread popular unrest against Vladimir Putin’s regime.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of complaining
Verb
  • Later that day, Rowley was drenched in sweat, rocking back and forth and mumbling incoherently as the poison – later identified as Novichok, a Russian nerve agent – took hold of him, too.
    — Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • Next up, maybe lawmakers can do something about overly soft, mumbling dialogue preceded by deafening explosions.
    — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026
Definition of mumbling
Noun
  • Alice questions Mira while Frank mutters completely unhelpful asides from behind the glass partition.
    — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 28 July 2026
  • Six mutters and sighs and rolls his head as if profoundly exasperated.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 May 2026
Definition of mutter
Adjective
  • Over the decades, the equipment evolved into today’s version of the sport, featuring a beeping softball and four-foot-tall buzzing foam bases that guide players through sound.
    — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Different vibration patterns identify each hazard The patch does not use the same buzzing sensation for every warning.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of buzzing
Verb
  • After securing the victory over Argentina on Sunday, Yamal’s little brother, Keyne, could be seen running straight into his soccer star brother’s arms and screaming with joy over the win.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026
  • The key is to train the mind to relax, just chill, even though somebody’s at the doorbell, even though somebody’s walking into the kitchen, little kids screaming through the house.
    — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2026
Definition of screaming
Verb
  • Silent neutron stars at the center of supernova blast sites may actually be whispering softly, following the detection of faint radio emissions coming from one such object for the first time.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 6 July 2026
  • Hears the doctors whispering in the corner of the room about his decline.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026
Definition of whispering

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murmurers
murmuring
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Cite this Entry

“Murmuring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murmuring. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of murmuring for Spanish Speakers

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