as in mutter
speech that is not clear enough to be understood
barely heard mutterings of discontent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in mumbling
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of muttering
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Past albums like Lyfë and 2093 were best experienced as hourslong excursions into illegible rage-rap experiences that washed over the listener, with Yeat’s voice muttering his harmonies amid glitchy laptop bangers.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2026
In fact, the director was egging me on, encouraging me to go further with the hunching and muttering.
—Andrew Martin, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2026
Old friend Daniel Vladar was spectacular in making 26 saves, several of which had Morgan Geekie (nine total shots, five on net, two blocked, two misses) muttering to himself.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 28 Feb. 2026
Then, while there was still enough light to see them plainly, the two came stalking out of the brush, growling and muttering.
—Doris Decleene, Outdoor Life, 25 Feb. 2026
But the bad news is that outside of a mutual prisoner exchange, both sides walked away muttering the same old positions.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
The volume has gone up again since Ruben Amorim’s recent departure, muttering darkly about Gary Neville’s outside influence in particular.
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2026
The older lady who was muttering to herself in casting is there.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Jan. 2026
Verb
Then, there’s a dramatic landscape by Jacob van Ruisdael, with gray clouds muttering on high and brighter blues impending in the sky below.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Past albums like Lyfë and 2093 were best experienced as hourslong excursions into illegible rage-rap experiences that washed over the listener, with Yeat’s voice muttering his harmonies amid glitchy laptop bangers.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2026
In fact, the director was egging me on, encouraging me to go further with the hunching and muttering.
—Andrew Martin, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2026
Old friend Daniel Vladar was spectacular in making 26 saves, several of which had Morgan Geekie (nine total shots, five on net, two blocked, two misses) muttering to himself.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 28 Feb. 2026
Then, while there was still enough light to see them plainly, the two came stalking out of the brush, growling and muttering.
—Doris Decleene, Outdoor Life, 25 Feb. 2026
But the bad news is that outside of a mutual prisoner exchange, both sides walked away muttering the same old positions.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
The volume has gone up again since Ruben Amorim’s recent departure, muttering darkly about Gary Neville’s outside influence in particular.
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2026
The older lady who was muttering to herself in casting is there.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Jan. 2026
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
Adjective
-
The stop-motion digital series about a jolly, mumbling, pint-size cook serves up a big slice of serotonin.—
Sonal Dutt,
PEOPLE,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This is why all the whining and complaining from small market teams across the sport is manipulative nonsense.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
-
There was crying, complaining, dissociating and even laughing on those couches.—
Wendy C. Ortiz,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
Noun
-
By pulling this string, the locals made an amplified grunting noise similar to that of a jaguar.—
Delbert L. Chears,
Outdoor Life,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Brown voiced his frustrations with the Eagles’ passing offense during the regular season, then engaged in a screaming match with Sirianni during Philadelphia’s first-round playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Dashcam footage recently released by Staffordshire Police shows the teenagers screaming and asking Dawson, 50, to slow the car down.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The tart’s crust was barely there, just a buttery whisper under the fruit.—
Michelle Huneven,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The World Bank’s climate strategy, which sets a climate lending target of 45%, expires in June, but discussions on a new plan are being relegated to whispers in corridors, The Guardian reports.—
Chloé Farand,
semafor.com,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This one required extra innings and undid a late surge by their sputtering offense.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
19 Apr. 2026
-
If the Jets beat Philadelphia on Saturday, Winnipeg’s locker room is going to be filled with all kinds of belief that the once sputtering Jets can make the playoffs after all.—
Murat Ates,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muttering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muttering. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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