mutterverb [ I or T ]
uk/ˈmʌt.ər/us/ˈmʌt̬.ɚ/B2 to speak quietly and in a low voice that is not easy to hear, often when you are worried or complaining about something:
Stop muttering and speak up!
He was muttering (away) to himself.
Laurence muttered something about his wife and left.
He muttered something under his breath to the person next to him.
More examples
- One guest at the crowded reception was heard to mutter "It's like the Black Hole of Calcutta in here."
- She was muttering curses as she fumbled for the light switch.
- 'I didn't know it would be this expensive,' he muttered.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Ways of talking
- -mouthed
- babel
- blab
- blather
- croon
- declamatory
- drone
- drone on
- expressive
- hold the floor idiom
- lyrical
- meanderings
- rabbit
- rabbit on
- sink to a whisper idiom
- tattle
- telegrammatic
- throw
- waffle
- yap
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Complaining
mutternoun
uk/ˈmʌt.ər/us/ˈmʌt̬.ɚ/mutter noun (QUIET WORDS)
[ S ] (the sound of) words being said very quietly:
I heard the soft mutter of voices in the next room.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Ways of talking
- -mouthed
- babel
- blab
- blather
- croon
- declamatory
- drone
- drone on
- expressive
- hold the floor idiom
- lyrical
- meanderings
- rabbit
- rabbit on
- sink to a whisper idiom
- tattle
- telegrammatic
- throw
- waffle
- yap
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mutter noun (COMPLAINT)
[ C ] a complaint that is made to only a few people:
There were mutters that other departments received more money than ours.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Complaining
- beef
- bewail
- bugger, sod, etc. this for a lark! idiom
- cavil
- chunter
- complainant
- complaint
- groan
- grouse
- harp
- harp on (about sth)
- huff and puff idiom
- kick
- lodge
- make a noise about sth idiom
- protest
- quibble
- squeal
- start on at sb
- whinger
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