murmur
1 of 2noun
mur·mur ˈmər-mər 
1
: a half-suppressed or muttered complaint : grumbling
murmurs of disapproval
2
a
: a low indistinct but often continuous sound
a murmur of voices
the murmur of the waves along the shore
b
: a soft or gentle utterance
the murmur of nannies cooing into baby carriages
Nancy Gibbs
Nancy Gibbs3
: an atypical sound of the heart typically indicating a functional or structural abnormality
The physician detected a heart murmur in his patient.
murmur
2 of 2verb
murmured; murmuring; murmurs
intransitive verb
1
: to make a murmur
the breeze murmured in the pines
2
: complain, grumble
transitive verb
: to say in a murmur
murmurer noun
Synonyms
Noun
- beef
- bitch
- bleat
- carp
- complaint
- fuss
- grievance
- gripe
- grouch
- grouse
- grumble
- holler
- kvetch
- lament
- miserere
- moan
- plaint
- squawk
- wail
- whimper
- whine
- whinge [British]
- yammer
Verb
- beef
- bellyache
- bitch
- bleat
- carp
- caterwaul
- complain
- crab
- croak
- fuss
- gripe
- grizzle
- grouch
- grouse
- growl
- grumble
- grump
- holler
- inveigh
- keen
- kick
- kvetch
- maunder [chiefly British]
- moan
- mutter
- nag
- repine
- scream
- squawk
- squeal
- wail
- whimper
- whine
- whinge [British]
- yammer
- yawp
- yaup
- yowl
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun the murmur of the crowd The suggestion brought murmurs of disapproval. He spoke in a murmur. They spoke to each other in murmurs. the murmur of the waves along the shore Verb He murmured something about having to get home. “Thank you,” she murmured as she left the room. The breeze murmured in the pines. See More
Recent Examples on the Web Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, 1 Sep. 2022 Suddenly, there was a murmur throughout the BayArena in Leverkusen. Manuel Veth, Forbes, 15 May 2022 In the distance, there was a murmur of suburban traffic. Raffi Khatchadourian, The New Yorker, 9 May 2022 Ten years later, even more drastic revisions of the curriculum are taking place with barely a murmur, as an all-encompassing security law written by Beijing crushes dissent in a city once characterized by its open debate. Theodora Yu, Washington Post, 22 June 2022 Finally, well past 1 a.m., a murmur grew to a roar as Kozlov approached from a back entrance holding the most recognizable sports trophy in the world. Gene Myers, Detroit Free Press, 14 June 2022 Woods has magical moments in Masters return AUGUSTA, Ga. — Something was in the air, a murmur at first, a rush of sound far away from the first tee, growing louder by the second. USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2022 The fact that so much writing of orders gets done earlier creates a constant murmur in the halls of OR, SIA, Interbike, MAGIC and other major national trade shows. Doug Schnitzspahn, Outside Online, 13 May 2016 So Leigh must say her few murmur-y mom things about homework and breakfast, and then die 20 minutes in trying to protect her youngest child in a sad bathroom. Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 12 July 2022 Tristan Bove, Fortune, 22 May 2022 Stocks are crashing, investors are jittery, and voices continue to murmur that a recession is nearly upon us. Tristan Bove, Fortune, 22 May 2022 Stocks are crashing, investors are jittery, and voices continue to murmur that a recession is nearly upon us. Tristan Bove, Fortune, 22 May 2022 Stocks are crashing, investors are jittery, and voices continue to murmur that a recession is nearly upon us. Tristan Bove, Fortune, 22 May 2022 But over the next 20 minutes, something strange but not entirely unexpected happened: The crowd began to murmur in admiration and appreciation as Curry sank 136 of 190 shots, including 46 of 72 3-pointers, a few of them from just inside halfcourt. New York Times, 13 June 2022 Stocks are crashing, investors are jittery, and voices continue to murmur that a recession is nearly upon us. Tristan Bove, Fortune, 22 May 2022 Stocks are crashing, investors are jittery, and voices continue to murmur that a recession is nearly upon us. Tristan Bove, Fortune, 22 May 2022 Stocks are crashing, investors are jittery, and voices continue to murmur that a recession is nearly upon us. Tristan Bove, Fortune, 22 May 2022 See More
Noun
Maybe there was a murmur about an underground occult-rock thing going on at the time. Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, 1 Sep. 2022 Suddenly, there was a murmur throughout the BayArena in Leverkusen. Manuel Veth, Forbes, 15 May 2022 In the distance, there was a murmur of suburban traffic. Raffi Khatchadourian, The New Yorker, 9 May 2022 Ten years later, even more drastic revisions of the curriculum are taking place with barely a murmur, as an all-encompassing security law written by Beijing crushes dissent in a city once characterized by its open debate. Theodora Yu, Washington Post, 22 June 2022 Finally, well past 1 a.m., a murmur grew to a roar as Kozlov approached from a back entrance holding the most recognizable sports trophy in the world. Gene Myers, Detroit Free Press, 14 June 2022 Woods has magical moments in Masters return AUGUSTA, Ga. — Something was in the air, a murmur at first, a rush of sound far away from the first tee, growing louder by the second. USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2022 The fact that so much writing of orders gets done earlier creates a constant murmur in the halls of OR, SIA, Interbike, MAGIC and other major national trade shows. Doug Schnitzspahn, Outside Online, 13 May 2016 So Leigh must say her few murmur-y mom things about homework and breakfast, and then die 20 minutes in trying to protect her youngest child in a sad bathroom. Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 12 July 2022 Verb
Stocks are crashing, investors are jittery, and voices continue to murmur that a recession is nearly upon us. Tristan Bove, Fortune, 22 May 2022 Stocks are crashing, investors are jittery, and voices continue to murmur that a recession is nearly upon us. Tristan Bove, Fortune, 22 May 2022 Stocks are crashing, investors are jittery, and voices continue to murmur that a recession is nearly upon us. Tristan Bove, Fortune, 22 May 2022 Stocks are crashing, investors are jittery, and voices continue to murmur that a recession is nearly upon us. Tristan Bove, Fortune, 22 May 2022 But over the next 20 minutes, something strange but not entirely unexpected happened: The crowd began to murmur in admiration and appreciation as Curry sank 136 of 190 shots, including 46 of 72 3-pointers, a few of them from just inside halfcourt. New York Times, 13 June 2022 Stocks are crashing, investors are jittery, and voices continue to murmur that a recession is nearly upon us. Tristan Bove, Fortune, 22 May 2022 Stocks are crashing, investors are jittery, and voices continue to murmur that a recession is nearly upon us. Tristan Bove, Fortune, 22 May 2022 Stocks are crashing, investors are jittery, and voices continue to murmur that a recession is nearly upon us. Tristan Bove, Fortune, 22 May 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle English murmure, from Anglo-French disturbance, from Latin murmur murmur, roar, of imitative origin
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Phrases Containing murmur
Kids Definition
murmur 1 of 2
noun
mur·mur ˈmər-mər
1
: a low faint sound
the murmur of voices
2
: a quiet expression of an opinion or feeling
murmurs of approval
murmur
2 of 2verb
murmured; murmuring
1
: to make a low faint sound
The breeze murmured in the trees.
2
: to say in a voice too quiet to be heard clearly
She murmured "thank you" as she left.
Medical Definition
murmur
noun
mur·mur ˈmər-mər
: an atypical sound of the heart typically indicating a functional or structural abnormality
called also heart murmur
murmur 1 of 2
noun
1
as in whine
an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment finished the tedious job without a murmur Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- whine
- moan
- complaint
- grumble
- whimper
- lament
- grievance
- fuss
- squawk
- bitch
- wail
- bleat
- gripe
- grouse
- protest
- objection
- holler
- yammer
- plaint
- whinge
- miserere
- demur
- expostulation
- carp
- remonstrance
- beef
- kvetch
- quibble
- grouch
- challenge
- stink
- niggle
- kick
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- applause
- praise
- approval
- commendation
- compliment
- plaudit
- acclaim
- sanction
- indorsement
- endorsement
2
as in whisper
speech that is not clear enough to be understood could just barely hear the murmurs of the audience Synonyms & Similar Words
- whisper
- mutter
- muttering
- murmuring
- grunting
- grunt
- mumble
- chattering
- rumor
- chatter
- babble
- babbling
- prattle
- gabble
- gabbling
- jabbering
- prattling
- jabber
- maundering
- drivelling
- undertone
- blab
- blabbing
- rambling
- driveling
- drivel
murmur
2 of 2verb
1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely no prisoner dared murmur out loud Synonyms & Similar Words
- complain
- scream
- whine
- moan
- mutter
- grumble
- growl
- whimper
- squawk
- squeal
- cry
- worry
- wail
- bellyache
- caterwaul
- repine
- yammer
- yawp
- yowl
- kvetch
- holler
- bleat
- bitch
- grouse
- gripe
- inveigh
- grizzle
- nag
- protest
- croak
- grouch
- beef
- whinge
- kick
- keen
- grump
- sob
- fuss
- maunder
- crab
- kick up a stink
- carp
- kick up a fuss
- cavil
- yaup
- lament
- quibble
- fret
- stew
- bewail
- blubber
- deplore
- bemoan
- quarrel (with)
- object (to)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rejoice
- delight
- accept
- tolerate
- endure
- bear
- take
- countenance
- cheer
- crow
- applaud
- commend
2
as in to mutter
to speak softly and unclearly a college professor who tends to murmur Synonyms & Similar Words
- mutter
- mumble
- whisper
- grunt
- mouth
- chunter
- gasp
- chatter
- babble
- gibber
- prattle
- gabble
- jabber
- pant
- breathe
- blab
- drivel
- ramble
- maunder
- buzz
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- enunciate
- speak out
- speak up
- articulate