as in gossip
information or opinion that is widely disseminated without any authority or confirmation of accuracy
rumor has it that she's planning to shut down the company
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to whisper
to make (as a piece of information) the subject of common talk without any authority or confirmation of accuracy
for years people have been rumoring the CEO's imminent retirement
Synonyms & Similar 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 rumor
Noe Padilla, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
As the stars of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives have had an eventful few months, one of the major narratives has been the rumor that Jen Affleck would headline her own Orange County spinoff.
—Peter White, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2026
Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 20 Apr. 2026
The two started dating in 2023 and were rumored to have split in late 2025.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rumor
Noun
This memo confirms rumors that Reuters had first reported on Sunday, April 19.
—Noe Padilla, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
As the stars of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives have had an eventful few months, one of the major narratives has been the rumor that Jen Affleck would headline her own Orange County spinoff.
—Peter White, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
Huawei has unveiled a new foldable form factor that industry giants Apple and Samsung are rumored to be working toward.
—Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 20 Apr. 2026
The two started dating in 2023 and were rumored to have split in late 2025.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rumor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rumor
Noun
-
However, the gossip proved to be false because Chastain never even filmed a cameo.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
-
What’s more, the proliferation of gossip handles like Deux Moi and fan accounts like ClubChalamet mean that doubling down on a parasocial fixation can be a legitimate career path, and a profitable one at that.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Peasants whisper about monsters in the forest, and in the interlude between the wars, Lajos gazes at a house that is burning down and has a premonition of the world-historical destruction to come.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Oryn, the high-octane Chinese speciality restaurant blends Cantonese and Sichuan flavors with nightclub energy—moody lighting, a DJ booth, and a bar that whispers promises of an after-hours mischief.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Mealey and the Defenders, who have filed a lawsuit against the city that seeks to block the public-private stadium plan and is being weighed by the Supreme Judicial Court, are reacting to an ESPN report that states the NWSL board is set to vote next week on the potential schedule change.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Experts said its demise was not about competition but more about the company’s poor financial decisions, according to a Bloomberg report.—
Samantha Gowen,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
New research reveals a potential link between GLP-1 drugs and improvements in myriad health conditions, including sleep apnea, joint pain, liver disease, heart disease, asthma, and even addiction.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The strike reveals how Russia’s invasion has made once-unthinkable nuclear security threats a reality.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Trump’s announcement on new talks repeated his threats against Iranian infrastructure that have drawn widespread criticism and warnings of war crimes.—
Michelle L. Price,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Tasnim said there would be no talks while the US continues to impose a maritime blockade on Iranian ports.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Trump hints Iran war could last longer than estimated.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The Patriots should be looking for a developmental quarterback and running back in this year’s class, but executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf already hinted last week that the team won’t be looking for a center.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Rather than operating on hearsay or memory, both of which are highly fallible, a flowchart outlines precisely what each section of a team is doing and allows everyone to work together in greater synchrony.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Calm sea and prosperous voyage—a dream for Goethe and Mendelssohn, for any parent, and perhaps for all men and women—was but a hearsay.—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Mendoza ad will circulate on ESPN and on social media, the executive says – but not for very long.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The list of third-party sites and services the MCI tool is tracking was widely circulated internally and discussed on chat boards after a member of the Meta Superintelligence Labs, or MSL, sent a memo intended to assuage concerns about worker surveillance and privacy.—
Lora Kolodny,Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rumor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rumor. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
