babble

verb

bab·​ble ˈba-bəl How to pronounce babble (audio)
babbled; babbling ˈba-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce babble (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a
: to talk enthusiastically or excessively
b
: to utter meaningless or unintelligible sounds
2
: to make sounds as though babbling

transitive verb

1
: to utter in an incoherently or meaninglessly repetitious manner
2
: to reveal by talk that is too free
babble noun
babblement noun
babbler noun

Examples of babble in a Sentence

Pay no attention to her. She's just babbling. He'll babble on about sports all night if you let him. Her cousins were babbling in an unfamiliar dialect.
Recent Examples on the Web More upmarket ashram than spa, it is built around giant boulders and babbling streams, with ornamental pools and waterfalls that flow down to a sliver of beach. Chloe Bottero, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2024 He’s eaten his first real food, he’s begun to babble, and he’s been showing signs of crawling at any moment. Sean Neumann, Peoplemag, 28 Jan. 2024 There’s an immersive soundscape too: Water babbles, birds chirp and insects whine about who knows what. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Jan. 2024 In addition to getting cuter every second, 6-month-olds are reaching a time of huge growth and development, as some babies will begin babbling, sitting up on their own, and eating solid food. Maya Polton, Parents, 17 Jan. 2024 Driving off with Badolato at her side and her son babbling happily in the back seat, Ellison glances in the rearview mirror, but only for a moment. Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2024 The twins like to babble and laugh with each other before falling asleep. Suzy Khimm, NBC news, 20 Dec. 2023 Weddings are held on the bank of a babbling creek or in the main lodge, where dinners and receptions take place. Kelsy Chauvin, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Nov. 2023 The Dure River babbled below my window at night, and at breakfast the hallways were laced with the heady scent of nutmeg. Lorna Parkes, Travel + Leisure, 16 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'babble.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English babelen, probably of imitative origin

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of babble was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near babble

Cite this Entry

“Babble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/babble. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

babble

1 of 2 verb
bab·​ble
ˈbab-əl
babbled; babbling
ˈbab-(ə-)liŋ
1
a
: to make meaningless sounds
b
: to talk foolishly or too much
2
: to make the sound of a brook
babbler
ˈbab-(ə-)lər
noun

babble

2 of 2 noun
1
: talk that is not clear
2
: the sound of a brook

More from Merriam-Webster on babble

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!