um

Examples

• All

• Maybe, um, Charlie could help us with the garage, David.

  Straw Dogs (1971)

• I went into hospital to, um, try and sort myself out.

  Jack Be Nimble (1993)

• So I gotta tell you, um, I so OK,

• what happened was, um, that at some point he

• Before you say anything, um, I know.

  I Can't Breathe (God Forgive Them) (2022)

• Um, I should have these ready in no time.

  Love Don’t Fade Away (2023)

• Oh, um, and about those allergies...

  Joey & Rex Save the Church (2022)

• - Um, who can fathom the mind of an evil genius?

  AlieNation (2022)

• And by the way, um, "Doogie Howser" -- great show.

  Unfavorable Odds (2022)

• I was going to say something, but then I thought, um, maybe it's not the right time.

Synonyms

U

uh

vsum

• Informal

∞ 7.3

A short sound people make when they hesitate while speaking

is the same hesitation sound but often spelled differently in writing

H

hmm

vsum

• Informal

∞ 8.7

A sound people make when they hesitate and think

leans more to pausing speech than to showing doubt explicitly

M

mmm

vsum

• Informal

477 9.5

A sound people make when they think or hesitate

focuses more on pausing speech rather than thoughtful consideration

A

ah

vsum

• Informal

401 2.4

A short sound people make when they hesitate or think

serves as a plain pause marker rather than this slight exclamation

U

umm

vsum

• Informal

120 8.8

A short sound people make when they pause to think

is the shorter, more common spoken form rather than this extended spelling

U

uhh

vsum

• Informal

110 9.5

A sound people use when they hesitate or are unsure

is the normal hesitation sound used without adding emphasis

E

erm

vsum

• UK

67 9.9

A short sound people make when they hesitate while speaking

is the standard pause sound rather than this specific variant

U

uhm

vsum

• Informal

58 9.8

A short sound people make when they pause to think

is the typical quick hesitation sound rather than this slight variant

U

uhhh

vsum

• Informal

16 9.9

A sound people make when they hesitate while speaking

is the usual short pause sound rather than this stretched form

U

uuh

vsum

• Informal

10 9.9

A sound someone makes when they hesitate or need time to think

is the basic hesitation pause rather than this alternate spelling

E

ehm

vsum

• Informal

6 8.7

A short sound people make when they pause to think while speaking

is the simple hesitation used broadly rather than this search-focused sound

E

errr

vsum

• Informal

4 9.5

A short sound people make when they are not sure

is the common brief hesitation rather than this drawn-out filler

M

mhm

vsum

• Informal

3 9.9

A low sound people make while thinking or hesitating

is the general hesitation pause rather than this low tone signal

U

uhhhh

vsum

• Informal

3 9.9

A sound people make when they hesitate or think

is the standard brief hesitation rather than this prolonged sound

M

mmmmm

vsum

• Informal

2 9.9

A low sound showing thought or hesitation before answering

is the basic hesitation sound without the extra length or emphasis

O

ohhhh

vsum

• Informal

1 9.8

A long sound people make when thinking before they speak

is the neutral hesitation sound used mainly as a pause

E

ehhh

vsum

• Informal

1 9.9

A hesitation sound people make when they think or search for words

is the ordinary pause used for hesitation rather than this drawn sound

Compounds

N

no-see-um

• US

1 9.9

A very small flying insect that makes itchy bites on people and animals

How Hesitant

mmmmm

• Informal

2 9.9

hmm

• Informal

∞ 8.7

mmm

• Informal

477 9.5

um

• Informal

∞ 4.1

uh

• Informal

∞ 7.3

Surface Forms

Etymology