as in babble
unintelligible or meaningless talk
to me the baby's speech was simply jabber, but his mother claimed to know exactly what he was saying
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to chat
to engage in casual or rambling conversation
please do not jabber during the rabbi's sermon
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to chatter
to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and usually unintelligibly
monkeys jabbering at each other in their cages
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of jabber
Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post, 16 July 2024
Jacobs-Jenkins renders him as a wry, friendly figure who occasionally takes over the bodies of the other characters to explain what is happening beneath their jabber.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 5 June 2023
Incriminating truths are borne along in the ever-rolling stream of online jabber; how can one man’s toxic underpants, nearly two years old, stand a chance against the slapping of Chris Rock at the Oscars, still less against the waves of disinformation?
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2022
That includes many of his new Florida State teammates who have discovered the defensive end’s propensity for jabber.
—Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2022
Ohio State strength coach Mickey Marotti is getting in on the jibber jabber with some Michigan staffers in this clip.
—Nathan Baird, cleveland, 27 Nov. 2021
To paint like that required a meditative focus that was miles from my own internal jabber.
—Molly Crabapple, The New York Review of Books, 8 July 2021
An older Black man perpetually annoyed by Sterling and Blair's jabber — particularly about the ups and downs of their romances — Bowser only takes on the underage twins as his protégés because the premise of the show demands it.
—Inkoo Kang, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Aug. 2020
But that’s just verbal jabber mixed with persuasion and cheerleading.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2020
Philip Elliott, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025
In our few minutes, Smoltz indulged a couple of jabbering old sports writers.
—Tom Murphy, arkansasonline.com, 17 Dec. 2024
Asking Eric: These women jabber about the trip I wasn’t invited on.
—R. Eric Thomas, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
Flying on cocaine, he’s become a jabbering head case who proceeds to kill himself by bashing his face with a circular 35-pound workout weight.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 Oct. 2024
Hello Kitty blanket while Gazal jabbered to a wild-haired imitation Barbie doll dressed as a bride.
—Eliza Griswold, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2024
Sometimes, being a conservative means jabbering about your philosophical views, however rickety, over a plate of overcooked chicken.
—Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 14 July 2023
An investigation revealed that jabbering shore operators had hampered communications with the rescue ship.
—Ariel Bleicher, IEEE Spectrum, 20 Mar. 2013
That was more than enough fodder to get soccer fans in the two cities jabbering back and forth − a good start toward achieving rivalry status considering the two organizations had never met on a field.
—The Enquirer, 24 Mar. 2023
Noun
Worse, such jabber crowds out essential coverage of genuine threats to democracy and the visions of the two parties.
—Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post, 16 July 2024
Jacobs-Jenkins renders him as a wry, friendly figure who occasionally takes over the bodies of the other characters to explain what is happening beneath their jabber.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 5 June 2023
Incriminating truths are borne along in the ever-rolling stream of online jabber; how can one man’s toxic underpants, nearly two years old, stand a chance against the slapping of Chris Rock at the Oscars, still less against the waves of disinformation?
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2022
That includes many of his new Florida State teammates who have discovered the defensive end’s propensity for jabber.
—Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2022
Ohio State strength coach Mickey Marotti is getting in on the jibber jabber with some Michigan staffers in this clip.
—Nathan Baird, cleveland, 27 Nov. 2021
To paint like that required a meditative focus that was miles from my own internal jabber.
—Molly Crabapple, The New York Review of Books, 8 July 2021
An older Black man perpetually annoyed by Sterling and Blair's jabber — particularly about the ups and downs of their romances — Bowser only takes on the underage twins as his protégés because the premise of the show demands it.
—Inkoo Kang, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Aug. 2020
But that’s just verbal jabber mixed with persuasion and cheerleading.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2020
Verb
Meanwhile, Trump cannot stop jabbering about serving a potential third term, a blatant violation of the Constitution’s cap on terms Presidents can serve these days.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025
In our few minutes, Smoltz indulged a couple of jabbering old sports writers.
—Tom Murphy, arkansasonline.com, 17 Dec. 2024
Asking Eric: These women jabber about the trip I wasn’t invited on.
—R. Eric Thomas, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
Flying on cocaine, he’s become a jabbering head case who proceeds to kill himself by bashing his face with a circular 35-pound workout weight.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 Oct. 2024
Hello Kitty blanket while Gazal jabbered to a wild-haired imitation Barbie doll dressed as a bride.
—Eliza Griswold, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2024
Sometimes, being a conservative means jabbering about your philosophical views, however rickety, over a plate of overcooked chicken.
—Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 14 July 2023
An investigation revealed that jabbering shore operators had hampered communications with the rescue ship.
—Ariel Bleicher, IEEE Spectrum, 20 Mar. 2013
That was more than enough fodder to get soccer fans in the two cities jabbering back and forth − a good start toward achieving rivalry status considering the two organizations had never met on a field.
—The Enquirer, 24 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jabber
Verb
-
Taxi drivers chat about it with passengers, doctors with patients, butchers with customers.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2025
-
Celeb flutist Nestor Torres chatted with Miami Beach’s First Couple from the sidelines, inquiring as to what the insanity was all about.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Talk of the Chiefs’ AFC Championship Game meeting with the Bills, and KC’s attempt to record the first Super Bowl three-peat, has been secondary to chatter about the games being fixed in favor of the Chiefs.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
26 Jan. 2025
-
This is one of those AI existential risks that everyone is chattering about these days.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
19 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
She was getting winded on our walk, and her prattle was broken up by heavy breaths.—
Joshua Cohen,
The New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2024
-
The larcenous prattle is, in this sense, a typically Wiig-ian set piece: sunny, strained and flailing for dignity.—
Lili Loofbourow,
Washington Post,
20 Mar. 2024
Verb
-
Backstreet Boys talk Las Vegas Sphere residency Support the Short List andbecome a USA TODAY digital subscriber today.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA TODAY,
20 Feb. 2025
-
Blessed to be here right now, to be a free man talking to y’all.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
19 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The gently babbling Ahr turned into a raging river—with floods, flash floods, and tidal waves resulting in widespread tragedy.—
Sarah James,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Nov. 2024
-
After months of cooing and babbling at a baby, my adult vocabulary felt distinctly lacking, and my wine terms all but forgotten.—
Brittani Sonnenberg,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Known affectionately to friends and strangers alike as Ms. Pearl, folks come to converse with the beloved restaurant owner and sample her incredible Southern comfort cuisine.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2025
-
His neighbors told deputies that Campbell forced his way into the home as the group was conversing about the gospel.—
Louis Casiano,
Fox News,
8 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
But when the disheveled, withdrawn ex-friend shows up in the locker room gibbering about an evil spirit, Sam is mortified, impulsively knocking to the ground the grungy-looking Mason jar that Tamira has been carrying around.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
18 Sep. 2023
-
For a while, police interest bent toward a Phud who had been warned he might be eliminated from the program, who had seemed almost exultant about the fire and gibbered gleefully about the media spotlight.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2018
Noun
-
First off, the bulk of the trailer is Shrek and company scrolling through fantasy TikTok courtesy of the magic mirror, which shows dancing Shrek, shirtless Shrek and other nonsense, apparently posted by Pinocchio.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Spouted a bunch of nonsense conspiracy theories about who’s getting Social Security benefits.—
Brian Barrett,
WIRED,
20 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jabber.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jabber. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share