What does blabber mean?
Blabber is an informal English word meaning to talk rapidly, continuously, and often foolishly — the kind of rambling, trivial chatter that fills time without saying much. It carries two closely related senses: general aimless talking ('he blabbered on for an hour') and the more pointed idea of letting secrets slip through careless speech. Because of this second sense, calling someone's talk 'blabbering' usually implies mild criticism, suggesting indiscretion or a lack of self-control rather than mere enthusiasm. The word is closely tied to its cousin 'blab', which specifically means to betray confidences, and to the compound noun 'blabbermouth', a person who simply cannot keep quiet. Blabber belongs firmly to casual conversation — you will hear it among friends, in offices, and in family arguments, but rarely in formal prose. Its expressive sound makes it a favourite when speakers want to dismiss someone's words as noise rather than substance.
To talk rapidly and at length in a foolish or trivial manner; to chatter or prattle excessively.
"The children blabbered excitedly all the way home from school."
Often used with prepositions like 'on', 'about', or 'away' to indicate prolonged, unfocused talk.
Foolish, excessive, or careless talk; the chatter itself.
"I've heard enough of his blabber — let's hear what the expert thinks."
Less common than the verb form; typically used dismissively.
'Blabber' is one of those rare words that sounds exactly like what it describes — all loose lips and flapping noise.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of blabber
Blabber is an imitative formation, echoing the repetitive, flapping sound of ceaseless talk. It derives from the earlier verb 'blab', which appeared in Middle English and means to reveal secrets through careless speech; blabber essentially intensifies that notion into continuous, foolish chatter. It shares its expressive origins with similar reduplicative-sounding words such as 'jabber' and 'babble', all coined to mimic the sound of rapid, unintelligent speech.
Related word forms
How blabber is actually used
Blabber is distinctly informal and slightly derogatory, implying that the speaker talks foolishly or indiscreetly. It is common in both British and American English but would be out of place in formal writing. The noun 'blabber' can also refer to the foolish talk itself, though this use is less common than the verbal one.
Easily confused with blabber
Blubber means to cry noisily (or refers to whale fat), while blabber means to talk excessively.
A blabbermouth is a person who cannot keep secrets, whereas blabber is the act of talking carelessly or excessively.