1
as in whines
an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment
finished the tedious job without a murmur
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in complains
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
no prisoner dared murmur out loud
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mutters
to speak softly and unclearly
a college professor who tends to murmur
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of murmurs
Michael Collins, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
Both threw cold water on those murmurs, reiterating love for their respective schools.
—Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
The off-court issues continue under Oats, with plenty of murmurs about how the Alabama head coach has elected to handle some of them.
—Justin Williams, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
All three contribute airy, wordless vocals, often just overlapping coos or melodic murmurs, that give the atmospheric strings real contours and depths.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 19 Mar. 2026
Monday night, in a 5-4 vote that drew some murmurs and shouts from the crowd, the council did not move the request for the money out of committee.
—Louisa Moller, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
There were plenty of rumors, plenty of murmurs, plenty of whispers surrounding the Florida Panthers entering the NHL trade deadline.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2026
That was reflected on the ice for much of his first season, too, when the murmurs were many.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 8 Feb. 2026
Sometimes there were murmurs around the police station from older officers about what Binion got up to back in the day.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2026
Emily Chang, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
Located at the foot of Petit Piton, guests are transported to a slice of tranquility, where the sound of a running stream murmurs in the background.
—Nneka M. Okona, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2026
Tess murmurs, having had no idea that Alex, who works in finance, has started moonlighting in standup.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2025
In between each narrative episode, like an intertitle in a silent film, Guanyin, the goddess of Mercy (the exquisite soprano Mei Gui Zhang), murmurs Buddhist verses from her floating lotus.
—Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle, 15 Nov. 2025
An aide for former first daughter Chelsea Clinton shut down murmurs about her entering the race.
—Kyler Alvord, PEOPLE, 12 Nov. 2025
But even amid the general euphoria, there recently have been murmurs about whether AI mania will prove to be an echo of the late 1990s dot-com boom and meltdown that plunged Silicon Valley into a funk that lasted several years.
—Staff, Austin American Statesman, 28 Aug. 2025
The River Coln murmurs gently here—weaving through golden buttercups and forget-me-nots, while plump ducks paddle lazily beneath canopies of willow.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
There have also been murmurs around Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins and Small Business Administration chief Kelly Loeffler — but nothing more.
—Al Weaver, The Hill, 1 June 2025
Noun
But murmurs of laughter broke out a few times when justices noted constitutional tensions in the case.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
Both threw cold water on those murmurs, reiterating love for their respective schools.
—Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
The off-court issues continue under Oats, with plenty of murmurs about how the Alabama head coach has elected to handle some of them.
—Justin Williams, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
All three contribute airy, wordless vocals, often just overlapping coos or melodic murmurs, that give the atmospheric strings real contours and depths.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 19 Mar. 2026
Monday night, in a 5-4 vote that drew some murmurs and shouts from the crowd, the council did not move the request for the money out of committee.
—Louisa Moller, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
There were plenty of rumors, plenty of murmurs, plenty of whispers surrounding the Florida Panthers entering the NHL trade deadline.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2026
That was reflected on the ice for much of his first season, too, when the murmurs were many.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 8 Feb. 2026
Sometimes there were murmurs around the police station from older officers about what Binion got up to back in the day.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
The remark drew a mix of gasps, murmurs and laughs from others in the room.
—Emily Chang, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
Located at the foot of Petit Piton, guests are transported to a slice of tranquility, where the sound of a running stream murmurs in the background.
—Nneka M. Okona, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2026
Tess murmurs, having had no idea that Alex, who works in finance, has started moonlighting in standup.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2025
In between each narrative episode, like an intertitle in a silent film, Guanyin, the goddess of Mercy (the exquisite soprano Mei Gui Zhang), murmurs Buddhist verses from her floating lotus.
—Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle, 15 Nov. 2025
An aide for former first daughter Chelsea Clinton shut down murmurs about her entering the race.
—Kyler Alvord, PEOPLE, 12 Nov. 2025
But even amid the general euphoria, there recently have been murmurs about whether AI mania will prove to be an echo of the late 1990s dot-com boom and meltdown that plunged Silicon Valley into a funk that lasted several years.
—Staff, Austin American Statesman, 28 Aug. 2025
The River Coln murmurs gently here—weaving through golden buttercups and forget-me-nots, while plump ducks paddle lazily beneath canopies of willow.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
There have also been murmurs around Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins and Small Business Administration chief Kelly Loeffler — but nothing more.
—Al Weaver, The Hill, 1 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for murmurs
Noun
-
Of course, this being DC and the WHCD, there are always whispers and smoke.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The amount of hearing patients gained varied, but 80% achieved at least some significant hearing restoration and 42% ended up with normal hearing, which included the ability to hear whispers, Regeneron says.—
Rob Stein,
NPR,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Lauersdorf is always willing to answer constituent concerns, and never complains, said Heritage Homeowners’ Association vice president Jennifer Samuels in a Facebook post promoting the fundraising effort.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The narrator in Pseudo-Quintilian’s fiction complains of the unfairness of the bout.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Your dad mutters for head movement, for cage cutting, for not playing off the back and creating distance.—
Matthew Shen Goodman,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The moans announced the doubt throughout Riviera’s 18th green amphitheater, a bowl full of thousands of fans unsure if the new guy could do it.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
-
At the moment that B’Tselem says Hathaleen collapsed, the visuals are jostled but moans of pain can be heard.—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reported that the family also experienced foul odors and heard pig grunts in the home.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
-
McKellen can make a terrific meal out of just a few grunts and groans, spending whole scenes mumbling about nothing in particular; meanwhile, Coel comes across as impenetrable, yet alluringly so.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Nothing about this neighborhood screams blockbuster.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
In the clip, the ride suddenly falls down with her phone dropping to the ground, and screams can be heard in the background in the seconds after the collapse.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Both look over at me and then Lumet mumbles something and the conversation abruptly ends.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Meanwhile, everyone is still running around like the Keystone Kops chasing Billie, passing an old lady in a bed eating Jell-O who mumbles something in Diné.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Kissimmee commissioner Janette Martinez proclaimed her innocence against two ethics complaints against her, claiming they are politically motived as elections loom.—
Natalia Jaramillo,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
-
His clients have filed the first of many lawsuits to come from the small town, including complaints from six families of victims killed in the shooting, as well as one mother whose daughter continues to fight for her life in intensive care.—
Robert Pearlman,
ArsTechnica,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Murmurs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murmurs. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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