babble
What does "babble" mean?
To babble is to talk in a way that is rapid, incoherent, or foolish. It captures the sound of someone speaking quickly without making much sense, or the gentle, rhythmic sound of water flowing over stones in a stream. The word often carries a slightly negative or dismissive tone when referring to people, implying that their speech is trivial or unintelligible. However, it is also used affectionately to describe the charming, nonsensical sounds made by infants as they learn to speak.
"babble" in conversation
A nervous interview
I’m sorry, I think I’m just babbling now.
I’m sorry, I think I’m just babbling now.
Take a breath, you're doing fine.
Take a breath, you're doing fine.
Used here to describe rambling speech due to anxiety.
Watching a baby
Look at her, she’s babbling away to her toy.
Look at her, she’s babbling away to her toy.
She sounds like she’s telling a whole story!
She sounds like she’s telling a whole story!
Used here to describe the cute, pre-speech sounds of an infant.
"babble" in a sentence
The baby started to babble happily in her crib.
The baby started to babble happily in her crib.
I was so tired that I began to babble nonsense during the presentation.
I was so tired that I began to babble nonsense during the presentation.
A clear brook babbled over the smooth river stones in the forest.
A clear brook babbled over the smooth river stones in the forest.
