as in mutter
speech that is not clear enough to be understood
barely heard mutterings of discontent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in complaining
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
a muttering group of workers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in murmuring
to speak softly and unclearly
muttering to himself under his breath
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in mumbling
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of muttering
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
That Longhorns fan muttering about Nietzsche was right after all.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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
That Longhorns fan muttering about Nietzsche was right after all.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muttering
Noun
-
To this day, the cooing and mutter of pigeons can lull me into a space of deep enjoyment.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Dani has fallen asleep, though only after complaining vociferously about the light.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Lyons said store owners had been complaining about the retail for some time.—
Luke Barr,
ABC News,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
Verb
-
Video captured officers screaming at him to drop the knife, followed by several gunshots from police.—
Christina Hall,
Freep.com,
23 Oct. 2025
-
His new visions are shattered by an explosion of light and color as, beneath his fist, the green light blazes, the kyber crystal of the Jedi screaming in corruption and cowardice, in fear and loathing—the lies of the Jedi revealed at last.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Two students have unrolled what looks like an incomplete treasure map, and lean over it with magnifying glasses, murmuring to one another.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Oct. 2025
-
The music cuts off, and, gradually, everyone leaves, murmuring about a rave happening not too far away.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Out of the ashes of a sputtering career as a music journalist came this new path as a screenwriter.—
Cameron Crowe,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Ingberg, 23, drove the sputtering car to Akeley, dropped it off at a mechanic and hopped in Hansen’s squad car for a ride back to his home in Wadena.—
Alex Haddon,
Twin Cities,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Yet the chairman Ron Noades and Coppell heard whispers of transfer interest.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
For nearly a century, filmmakers have known that jewels speak a visual language of their own—each sparkle a whisper of glamour, danger, or desire—while the jeweler becomes co-director and the gem a co-star.—
Lilah Ramzi,
Vogue,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Common signals include sniffing, circling, squatting, or whining.—
Madeline Gunderson,
USA Today,
19 Oct. 2025
-
The floor buffers come out, whining like jet engines in the hallways, erasing over a month’s worth of shoe scuffs that made the place look like the dasher boards at the hockey rink.—
Mark Glende,
Twin Cities,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Muttering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muttering. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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