How do you use the word "babble" in a sentence?

Q: How do you use the word "babble" in a sentence?

Here are real-life examples of using "babble": I do tend to babble at times. The sounds babies make when they babble seem to contain a lot of anterior consonants.

Babble Meaning

/ˈbæb.(ə)l/

Definition, CEFR level C2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

Definition

verbTo utter words indistinctly or unintelligibly; to utter inarticulate sounds

verbTo talk incoherently; to utter meaningless words.

Sentence Examples

I do tend to babble at times.

The sounds babies make when they babble seem to contain a lot of anterior consonants.

The happy baby began to babble cheerfully in her crib.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms:

bubble ripple

Antonyms:

None

CEFR Practice Quiz

The happy baby began to ____ nonsense that made everyone smile.

CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)

The small baby began to ____ happily as he played with his toys.

Word Origin & History

From Middle English babelen, from Old English *bæblian, also wæflian (“to talk foolishly”), from Proto-West Germanic *bablōn, *wablōn, variants of *babalōn, from Proto-Germanic *babalōną (“to chatter”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰa-bʰa-, perhaps a reduplication of Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- (“to say”), or a variant of Proto-Indo-European *baba- (“to talk vaguely, mumble”), or a merger of the two, possibly ultimately onomatopoeic/mimicry of infantile sounds (compare babe, baby). Cognate with Saterland Frisian babbelje (“to babble”), West Frisian babbelje (“to babble”), Dutch babbelen (“to babble, chat”), German Low German babbeln (“to babble”), German babbeln (“to babble”), Danish bable, bavle (“to babble”), Swedish babbla (“to babble”), Icelandic babla (“to babble”). Unrelated to Babel.

Literary Quotations & Historical Citations

"In every babbling brook he finds a friend." — 1815, William Wordsworth, “Extracts from Descriptive Sketches”, in Poems […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […], published 1815, →OCLC:

"All this vvhile John had conn'd over ſuch a Catalogue of hard VVords, as vvere enough to conjure up the Devil; theſe he uſed to babble indifferently in all Companies, eſpecially at Coffee-houſes; ſo that his Neighbour Tradeſmen began to ſhun his Company as a Man that vvas crack'd." — 1733, Humphry Polesworth [pseudonym; John Arbuthnot], Alexander Pope, compiler, “Law is a Bottomless Pit. Or, The History of John Bull. […]. [The First Part.] Chapter VII. How John Bull was so Mightily Pleas’d with His Success, that He was Going to Leave Off His Trade, and Turn Lawyer.”, in Miscellanies, 2nd edition, volume II, London: […] Benjamin Motte, […], →OCLC, page 23:

"This is mere moral babble." — 1634 October 9 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), [John Milton], edited by H[enry] Lawes, A Maske Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634: […] [Comus], London: […] [Augustine Matthews] for Hvmphrey Robinson, […], published 1637, →OCLC; reprinted as Comus: […] (Dodd, Mead & Company’s Facsimile Reprints of Rare Books; Literature Series; no. I), New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1903, →OCLC, line 823:

"Assassin's Creed gets described as "more than a game" and "a platform for meaningful exploration and reflection wrapped in the excitement of unforgettable gameplay"—which is executive babble, let's be honest." — 2025 February 26, Harvey Randall, “Ubi Strikes Back”, in PC Gamer (US), number 392, page 9:

"[M]an has an instinctive tendency to speak, as we see in the babble of our young children; whilst no child has an instinctive tendency to brew, bake, or write." — 1871, Charles Darwin, “Comparison of the Mental Powers of Man and the Lower Animals”, in The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. […], volume I, London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, Part I (On the Descent of Man), page 55:

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