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mumbling

mumbling

6 3.6
Speaking quietly and not clearly so people cannot understand
  • noun
  • /ˈmʌmbəlɪŋ/
translation icon : murmullos
  • Deep into the hours toward morning, when exhaustion had carried us into sleep, Jerry woke me with mumblings.
  • heard mumblings

Because if it seems plausible, you know, Biden mumbling is something that happens every day.

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Examples

  • I said to her, and the smell of incense permeated the place, mumblings and ancient wood and olives, olive trees swaying in the dark; trees don't sway, their shadows do.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • I've always been pretty much accused of mumbling and not talking clearly.

  • And from his mumblings, I learned that his business ventures were not successful, that his court-martial was again postponed, and that he was still after Congress for the money it owed him.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Perhaps students will discover that scientific and historical inquiries are superior to the irrational mumblings of conspiracy theorists.

    Academic text (1998)
  • Nevertheless, he felt as though he understood completely, from Tomi's demented, disjointed, but not incoherent mumblings, what this woman's seventy-seven years of life had been.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Many teachers complained about the student's mumbling during the exam, making it hard to understand his answers.

  • His mumbling was so unclear that I could barely catch what he was trying to say.

  • The child spoke in a soft mumbling voice, making it difficult for his parents to hear him.

Synonyms

gibberish
vsmumbling
45 7.2

Speech or writing that does not make sense

is unclear speech from poor articulation not necessarily nonsensical words
babbling
vsmumbling
18 3.3

Sounds babies make before they can speak, like meaningless words

is unclear adult speech rather than childlike or developmental sounds
murmuring
vsmumbling
11 3.4

A low continuous sound made by voices or nature

is clearer focus on unclear enunciation rather than general soft sound
jabbering
vsmumbling
  • Informal
4 7.9

Fast, unclear talk that is hard to understand

is unclear speech due to poor articulation rather than fast excited talking
muttering
vsmumbling
3 4.6

A low unclear sound made quietly with the lips

is general unclear enunciation rather than private complaining tone
mussitation
vsmumbling
  • Archaic
9.9

A low soft sound made by quiet talking without clear words

is unclear speech with audible but indistinct enunciation rather than silent mouth noise
murmuration
vsmumbling
9.6

A soft low sound of many people talking at once

is about unclear enunciation rather than the collective sound of many speakers
lallation
vsmumbling
  • Specialized
9.9

Speech made of baby-like, unclear sounds that do not make sense

is adult unclear enunciation rather than infantile or playful vocalizing

Antonyms

152 3.0

How easy it is to understand what someone says or writes

articulation
  • Specialized
1 4.6

How the lips and tongue move to make speech sounds

How Clear

statement
  • Formal
1.3
utterance
22 4.8
mumbling
6 3.6
murmur
36 4.1

Surface Forms

mumbling singular
mumblings plural

Morphology

mumbling = mumble (transparent) = mumble + ing

A straightforward gerund/nominalization from the verb 'mumble' meaning 'the action or instance of speaking indistinctly'.

Etymology

Mumbling comes from the old sound word mum, which meant 'be silent' or 'make a low sound'. Think of the familiar word murmur or the sound 'hum', so mumbling means speaking in a quiet, unclear way.