mutter

verb

mut·​ter ˈmə-tər How to pronounce mutter (audio)
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
2
: 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 noun

Examples of mutter in a Sentence

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The van pulled into the street, and the crowd followed, muttering lamentations. Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025 That year an honorary degree was conferred on Jacques Derrida, and when somebody described him as the exponent of deconstruction theory, Brown relates, Prince Philip was overheard muttering that his own family seemed to be deconstructing pretty well. Geoffrey Wheatcroft, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025 The soldiers muttered encouragement; their horses nickered. Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 6 Jan. 2025 Philippe Myers knelt on the side of Canada’s busiest highway and muttered a few curse words about his luck. Joshua Kloke, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for mutter 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English muteren, of imitative origin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mutter was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near mutter

Cite this Entry

“Mutter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mutter. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

mutter

verb
mut·​ter ˈmət-ər How to pronounce mutter (audio)
1
2
: to murmur complainingly or angrily : grumble
mutter noun
mutterer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on mutter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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