as in whispers
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
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Recent Examples of rumors
In early 2024, rumors that the series was kaput swirled online, prompting HBO to release a statement that season 3 was still on the way.
—
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Oct. 2025
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rumors
Verb
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Kristin Scott Thomas, star of Slow Horses, whispers that the production of The Cherry Orchard she and I chatted about last year, will now head into the West End in October.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
22 Feb. 2026
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What quiet message whispers through you?—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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If a family member hints about a sore topic or a roommate is audibly worried about space or bills, talk to them about it.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
24 Feb. 2026
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More than a month later, single-stair advocates are still waiting on that report — though a draft version obtained by CalMatters hints that the office may be considering a modest change to the state building code.—
Ben Christopher,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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To this end, CNBC reports, NASA now plans to return the rocket ot the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for repairs.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Feb. 2026
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Now, the fundraiser is under review, with questions over the organizers and who will receive the proceeds, San Francisco Chronicle reports.—
Althea Legaspi,
Rolling Stone,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This reveals how the ice giant’s unusual magnetic field shapes spectacular auroras high above the planet’s clouds.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
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This misplacement of priorities reveals a troubling pattern.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rumors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rumors. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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