drivel

1 of 2

noun

1

: nonsense

Don't waste your time reading such drivel.

2

archaic : drool sense 1

drivel

2 of 2

verb

driv·​el ˈdri-vəl 

driveled or drivelled; driveling or drivelling ˈdri-v(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to talk stupidly and carelessly

What is he driveling about now?

2

: to let saliva dribble from the mouth : slaver

driveler

ˈdri-v(ə-)lər 

noun

Synonyms

Noun

• applesauce [slang]
• balderdash
• baloney
• boloney
• beans
• bilge
• blah
• blah-blah
• blarney
• blather
• blatherskite
• blither
• bosh
• bull [slang]
• bunk
• bunkum
• buncombe
• claptrap
• codswallop [British]
• crapola [slang]
• crock
• drool
• fiddle
• fiddle-faddle
• fiddlesticks
• flannel [British]
• flapdoodle
• folderol
• falderal
• folly
• foolishness
• fudge
• garbage
• guff
• hogwash
• hokeypokey
• hokum
• hoodoo
• hooey
• horsefeathers [slang]
• humbug
• humbuggery
• jazz
• malarkey
• malarky
• moonshine
• muck
• nerts [slang]
• nonsense
• nuts
• piffle
• poppycock
• punk
• rot
• rubbish
• senselessness
• silliness
• slush
• stupidity
• taradiddle
• tarradiddle
• tommyrot
• tosh
• trash
• trumpery
• twaddle

Verb

• dribble
• drool
• salivate
• slaver
• slobber

Examples of drivel in a Sentence

Noun

that critic's reviews are nothing but self-important drivel

my roommate talks in her sleep, but it's just drivel

Verb

What is he driveling about now?

the panting dog driveled on my hand

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Any real feelings on their albums are quickly overrun by generic, formulaic drivel. —Matt Thompson, SPIN, 28 Nov. 2024

Works like that one tend to be seen as religious experiences or spiritualist drivel. —Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2019

Verb

Our campuses are a mess — citadels of conformism and drivel. —Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 19 Dec. 2023

Gretchen Bender superimposes potent phrases or ideas onto television screens blaring out the usual stream of nonsense, drivel and enticement. —Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Old English dreflian; perhaps akin to Old Norse draf malt dregs

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

drivel

1 of 2 verb

driv·​el ˈdriv-əl 

driveled or drivelled; driveling or drivelling -(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to let saliva dribble from the mouth : slobber

2

: to talk stupidly

driveler noun

or driveller

-(ə-)lər

drivel

2 of 2 noun

: nonsense sense 1