What does "drivel" mean?
Nonsense; senseless talk.
Drivel
/dɹɪv.əl/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Nonsense; senseless talk.
- Grammar: drivel is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: drool, absurdity, amphigory, babble.
- Useful contrasts: articulate, coherence, dry mouth.
- Usage evidence: I've had it with his nonsensical drivel.
How to use "drivel"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "drivel" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "drivel" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "drivel" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "drivel" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "drivel" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "drool" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "drivel", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Nonsense; senseless talk. countable, uncountable
"“You pay too much attention to such insipid drivel in even mentioning it.”"
- 2 A servant; a drudge. obsolete
"that foul aged drivel"
- 3 saliva spilling from the mouth wordnet
- 4 Saliva, drool. countable, rare, uncountable
"He pauses as I wipe the drivel from his chin."
- 5 A fool; an idiot. obsolete
"if thou didst know what a life I lead with that drivel, it would make thee even of pity receive me into thy only comfort"
Show 1 more definition
- 6 a worthless message wordnet
Verb
- 1 To talk nonsense; to talk senselessly; to drool.
- 2 To move or travel slowly. obsolete
"But that is a state of things, which must in time work its own cure. We cannot always go dribbling and drivelling along, government and people alike being the scoff of all onlookers."
- 3 let saliva drivel from the mouth wordnet
- 4 To have saliva drip from the mouth. archaic, intransitive
- 5 To use up or to be used up. obsolete
"Instead of drivelling away the precious initiative season of life in the vain labour of teaching tuneable voices to sing[.]"
Show 1 more definition
- 6 To be weak or foolish; to dote.
"This drivelling love is like a great natural, that runs lolling up and down to hide his bauble in a hole."
Antonyms
Example
"I've had it with his nonsensical drivel."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "drivel"?
Common synonyms include: drool, absurdity, amphigory, babble, babblement, balderdash.
How do you use "drivel" in a sentence?
I've had it with his nonsensical drivel.
How do you pronounce "drivel"?
Pronounced /dɹɪv.əl/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English dravel, dribil, a deverbal from drevelen, drivelen (Etymology 2).
Etymology 2
From Middle English drevelen, drivelen, from Old English dreflian (“to drivel, slobber, slaver”), from Proto-Germanic *drablijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰerebʰ- (“cloudy, turbid; yeast”).
Etymology 3
From Middle English drivel, probably from driven + -el, unless borrowed from an equivalent word in another West Germanic language. Compare Old Dutch drevel (“scullion”).
Etymology 4
Perhaps a blend of drive + dribble.