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
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Recent Examples of rumor
Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 8 Apr. 2026
The politician and Perry then sparked romance rumors later that month, with recurring sightings throughout the year culminating in the pair going Instagram official in December.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2026
Rice mentioned an Eagles wide receiver who is rumored to be on the trade block.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rumor
Noun
The first wave of rumors that Harry had gifted Diana’s watch to Markle came about in 2020, when the Duchess made an appearance at a virtual summit held by Fortune magazine.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 8 Apr. 2026
The politician and Perry then sparked romance rumors later that month, with recurring sightings throughout the year culminating in the pair going Instagram official in December.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
Arjona played Martine Bancroft, the love interest to Jared Leto’s antihero Morbius, in the film of the same name from Sony, and had been rumored for the role of Wonder Woman in the DCU.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2026
Rice mentioned an Eagles wide receiver who is rumored to be on the trade block.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rumor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rumor
Noun
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Their show is a high-energy mix of friendly interviews with tech titans, industry gossip, and celebrations of funding rounds and other successes that involve banging a giant gong.—
Shannon Bond,
NPR,
8 Apr. 2026
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Mitchell Fink, whose career as a celebrity gossip columnist and entertainment journalist included stints ranging from People magazine to the New York Daily News to the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, died Tuesday at 82 in West Palm Beach, Florida.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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People expect your first relationship to be perfect — all innocence and romantic outings, long walks and whispered sweet nothings into clean sheets.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
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The serene setting, where only the wind whispers through the pines, makes this remote ranch perfect for an unforgettable family escape.—
Julie Bielenberg,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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If the injury report didn’t say it, the first half did.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
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Though tensions might not be as high as media reports suggested, not all is peachy between Rome and Washington.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The figures had cracked in many places and some of the statues revealed their complicated armature.—
Douglas Stuart,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
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White took to social media after Hokit's win to reveal that a matchup between Hokit and Derrick Lewis had been added to UFC Freedom 250.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The days were spent in a sleek conference room, where guests gave talks.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Signaling progress in the peace talks, Axios reported that Washington and Tehran were engaged in discussions mediated by some Gulf states for a potential 45-day ceasefire that could end the conflict, although the odds for reaching a partial deal before the Tuesday deadline were slim.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Tatum hinted that Everly had inherited her mom and dad’s acting chops, as the tween could be seen getting into character alongside the Blink Twice actor.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
6 Apr. 2026
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Most of those features run through the central touchscreen, which hints to how these downloads usually work.—
Sean Tucker,
AJC.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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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
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Scholars didn’t confirm Bambaataa’s actual birth name until 2016, when oral testimonies circulated about his abuse allegations.—
Mosi Reeves,
Rolling Stone,
9 Apr. 2026
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Fox, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991, has also been the subject of death hoaxes in the past, including in 2018, when a fake article reporting his death circulated online.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rumor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rumor. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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