Babbling: meaning, definitions and examples

Used when someone is talking quickly and excitedly, often without making much sense. It's sometimes used to describe the way a young child talks.

• The baby was babbling happily in his crib.
• She started babbling about her weekend plans, but I couldn't keep up.

Used for light, trivial, and often continuous talk, especially when talking about unimportant things. It can carry a mildly negative connotation, suggesting the speaker is wasting time.

• She spent the afternoon prattling about her new hobby.
• Instead of getting straight to the point, he just kept prattling.

Used when someone is talking very quickly and in a manner that is difficult to understand. It often implies a sense of urgency or nervousness.

• The children were jabbering excitedly about their upcoming trip.
• He was jabbering on the phone, and I couldn't catch a single word he was saying.

Used when someone is talking in a long-winded, often disorganized way, moving from one subject to another with no clear structure. It can be seen as unfocused and tedious.

• His speech was more of a rambling monologue than a coherent presentation.
• I tried to follow her story, but she kept rambling without any clear direction.

Same as the first 'babbling,' it describes quick, incoherent talk or the sound of a small flowing stream.

• She was babbling on the phone for hours
• The babbling brook was a beautiful sight in the forest

Used to describe a low, continuous sound made by people who are speaking quietly or in the background noise of nature, like leaves rustling.

• There was a constant murmuring of voices in the crowded cafe
• The trees were murmuring in the gentle breeze

Often describes a liquid flowing in a sounding manner, like a baby trying to talk, or water moving through pipes.

• The baby was gurgling happily in his crib
• We could hear the water gurgling as it flowed down the drain

Describes the effect of small waves on water, or a sound that progresses in small waves, like laughter or music.

• He watched the rippling of the pond's surface
• Her laughter came rippling through the room