mutter
verb
mut·ter ˈmə-tər 
muttered; muttering; mutters
intransitive verb
1
: to utter sounds or words indistinctly or with a low voice and with the lips partly closed
… he gestured and muttered furiously in his lawyer's ear.
Tana French
Tana French2
: to murmur complainingly or angrily : grumble
Some employees muttered about the changes in the pension plan.
transitive verb
: to utter especially in a low or imperfectly articulated manner
muttered an apology
mutter noun
mutterer
ˈmə-tər-ər
noun 
Synonyms
- 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
- murmur
- nag
- repine
- scream
- squawk
- squeal
- wail
- whimper
- whine
- whinge [British]
- yammer
- yawp
- yaup
- yowl
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
She angrily muttered something about her bad luck. She sat practicing her speech, muttering to herself. Some employees are muttering about the changes in the pension plan.
Recent Examples on the Web Burnt to a crisp, Spear can barely mutter Mira's name one last time. Darren Franich, EW.com, 17 Sep. 2022 The four-letter title, which the characters mutter under their breath at moments of heightened anxiety, also functions as a kind of warning. Justin Changfilm Critic, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2022 Wanda started to mutter words on June 27 after being in a coma for about two years. Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 16 July 2022 That doesn't give you the right to mutter not-so-sweet nothings. Elissa Sanci, Woman's Day, 12 May 2022 The mourners filed across the church’s green carpet, pausing to touch Sierra’s folded hands or mutter a prayer, before finding a seat in the pews. Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2022 As the story goes at El Charro, founder Monica Flin accidentally dropped a burrito into the fryer one day and began to mutter a famous Mexican curse word. Andi Berlin, The Arizona Republic, 12 Sep. 2021 Reyerson agreed that Floyd appeared to mutter the phrase. Fox News, 8 Apr. 2021 The plane had hit turbulence—the rollicking kind that makes some people cry out, while others grip their armrests tightly, and mutter a prayer to the power of their choice. Sarah Todd, Quartz, 17 Jan. 2021 See More
Darren Franich, EW.com, 17 Sep. 2022 The four-letter title, which the characters mutter under their breath at moments of heightened anxiety, also functions as a kind of warning. Justin Changfilm Critic, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2022 Wanda started to mutter words on June 27 after being in a coma for about two years. Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 16 July 2022 That doesn't give you the right to mutter not-so-sweet nothings. Elissa Sanci, Woman's Day, 12 May 2022 The mourners filed across the church’s green carpet, pausing to touch Sierra’s folded hands or mutter a prayer, before finding a seat in the pews. Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2022 As the story goes at El Charro, founder Monica Flin accidentally dropped a burrito into the fryer one day and began to mutter a famous Mexican curse word. Andi Berlin, The Arizona Republic, 12 Sep. 2021 Reyerson agreed that Floyd appeared to mutter the phrase. Fox News, 8 Apr. 2021 The plane had hit turbulence—the rollicking kind that makes some people cry out, while others grip their armrests tightly, and mutter a prayer to the power of their choice. Sarah Todd, Quartz, 17 Jan. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English muteren, of imitative origin
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Kids Definition
mutter
verb
mut·ter ˈmə-tər
muttered; muttering
1
: to speak in a low voice with lips partly closed
He muttered an apology.
2
: to complain in a low voice : grumble
She muttered about the bad food.
mutterer
noun
as in crab
an irritable and complaining person the usual mutterers about the food in the cafeteria Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- crab
- bear
- murmurer
- complainer
- crank
- hunks
- curmudgeon
- fusser
- growler
- grouser
- sourpuss
- bellyacher
- grump
- crosspatch
- party pooper
- croaker
- kicker
- grumbler
- whiner
- griper
- grouch
- repiner
- killjoy
- sorehead
- spoilsport
- quibbler
- defeatist
- grinch
- faultfinder
- hypochondriac
- nagger
- nitpicker
- pessimist
- crock
- objector
- malcontent
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- optimist
- happy camper
- Pollyanna