rumor

1 of 2

noun

ru·​mor ˈrü-mər How to pronounce rumor (audio)
1
: talk or opinion widely disseminated with no discernible source
2
: a statement or report current without known authority for its truth
3
archaic : talk or report of a notable person or event
4
: a soft low indistinct sound : murmur

rumor

2 of 2

verb

rumored; rumoring

transitive verb

: to tell or spread by rumor

Examples of rumor in a Sentence

Noun There are rumors that they are making a new film. She accused him of starting rumors about her. Ever since his sudden resignation, rumors have been flying. I heard a rumor that they broke up. “Did you hear that they broke up?” “That's just a rumor.” The rumor turned out to be false. You can't fire him solely based on rumor. Rumor has it that they broke up. Verb for years people have been rumoring the CEO's imminent retirement
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Then, in August 2018, both Shepherd and Kardashian denied rumors of a feud. Maria Pasquini, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024 Attempts to put rumors to bed by releasing a photo of her on Mother's Day in the U.K. surrounded by her three smiling children backfired when The Associated Press and other news agencies retracted the image because it had been manipulated. arkansasonline.com, 22 Mar. 2024 During her mouth-numbing appearance on the YouTube interview series Hot Ones, Paltrow, 51, paused her battle with spicy wings to address a couple of rumors that host Sean Evans dug up from the internet. Shania Russell, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2024 This was supposed to be the photo that put the growing rumors to bed — definitive proof that all is well in the House of Windsor. Allison Morrow, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024 Last month, however, what Fidesz has long dismissed as politically motivated rumor mongering was given credence by someone from deep inside the system — Peter Magyar, once a senior executive in state companies and the former husband of a close ally of Mr. Orban. Andrew Higgins, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024 While nothing has been set in stone yet, Taylor-Johnson, who also starred in Bullet Train and Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals, didn’t exactly shut down rumors about being Craig’s potential successor. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2024 The theory seemed to resonate enough for Stephen Colbert to mention the rumors in his opening monologue on March 12. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 18 Mar. 2024 While neither has spoken publicly about the cheating allegations or subsequent separation rumors, Portman was confronted with the narratives swirling around them in a February interview with Vanity Fair. Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024
Verb
This is, after all, a woman whose dedication to stilettos is so admirable that she was once rumored to have worn a pair of Saint Laurents whilst doing lengths in a swimming pool at the Baden Baden world cup in 2002. Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 22 Mar. 2024 Monica Bellucci, who is rumored to be dating Burton, is also among the new cast members in the sequel. Nicholas Rice, Peoplemag, 16 Mar. 2024 This is rumored to use PlayStation machine learning for image upscaling that’s similar to Nvidia’s DLSS or AMD’s FSR. Tom Warren, The Verge, 15 Mar. 2024 It's rumored that British tabloids don't usually publish paparazzi photos of the royals without express permission, so some suspected that this image was fed to the outlet by royal staff and that it, too, had been doctored. Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 14 Mar. 2024 The bar's name comes from the pirate Jean Lafitte, who was rumored to have used the building for smuggling and piracy. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2024 The film is rumored to take place in 1965, centering on the moment when Dylan transitioned from his folk roots to a more rock and roll sensibility, sparking outrage from some of his fans. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2024 Chicago’s version, known as Rumor Central, reportedly fielded more than 35,000 calls in the week following the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. So, could rumor clinics help Americans separate fact from falsehood today? Greg Daugherty, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Mar. 2024 The brick kiln, for instance, is rumored to be built on the site of a mass grave, as though it were fueled by the lives of the poor. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rumor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English rumour, from Anglo-French, from Latin rumor clamor, gossip; akin to Old English rēon to lament, Sanskrit rauti he roars

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1548, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near rumor

Cite this Entry

“Rumor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rumor. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rumor

1 of 2 noun
ru·​mor ˈrü-mər How to pronounce rumor (audio)
1
: a widely held opinion having no known source : hearsay
2
: a statement or story that is in circulation but has not been proved to be true

rumor

2 of 2 verb
rumored; rumoring
ˈrüm-(ə-)riŋ
: to tell by rumor : spread a rumor

More from Merriam-Webster on rumor

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