The media got wind of a rumor about his engagement and came quickly.
Source: tatoeba (26634)
Rumor
/ˈɹumɚ/
Synonyms for "rumor" (108 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (22)
Strong matches (32)
Noun(11 words)
conspiraciesconspiracydirtdisseminatefamefriction chattergossipgossippinggossipsleast historicalmoot
Verb(1 words)
Related words (54)
Noun(22 words)
murmursmutteringnoiseon ditpropagaterattlingsrumourscandalsoughspreadswirltaletidbitunverified reporturban mythviruses lessonwhisperwhisperingwhispersword
Show 2 more words
word on the streetword on the wire
Verb(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: hearsay, announce, backbiting, badmouthing, blab.
- Sentence evidence is available for rumor, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "rumor".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "rumor"
Keep "rumor" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "rumor" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "rumor", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "rumor" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
9 entriesMore specific
5 entriesCollocations
10 entriescirculate rumorsfalse rumorgossip millpublic rumorrumor millrumor mongeringspread rumorsunfounded rumorunfounded rumorswild rumor
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
6 entriesTranslations
26 translations across 19 languages.
Bengali
1 entries- গুজব noun (uncountable: information)
Czech
1 entries- drby noun (uncountable: information)
Dutch
1 entries- geruchten noun (uncountable: information)
Finnish
2 entries- huhu noun (uncountable: information)
- kuulopuhe noun (uncountable: information)
German
2 entries- Gerede noun (uncountable: information)
- Gerüchte noun (uncountable: information)
Greek
2 entries- διαδόσεις noun (uncountable: information)
- φήμες noun (uncountable: information)
Japanese
1 entries- 噂 noun (uncountable: information)
Latvian
1 entries- baumas noun (uncountable: information)
Portuguese
2 entries- boato noun (uncountable: information)
- rumor noun (uncountable: information)
Romanian
1 entries- zvon noun (uncountable: information)
Russian
2 entries- молва́ noun (uncountable: information)
- слу́хи noun (uncountable: information)
Scottish Gaelic
1 entries- fathann noun (uncountable: information)
Slovene
1 entries- govorica noun (uncountable: information)
Spanish
2 entries- habladurías noun (uncountable: information)
- rumorología noun (uncountable: information)
Swedish
1 entries- rykte noun (uncountable: information)
Tamil
1 entries- புரளி noun (uncountable: information)
Telugu
1 entries- పుకారు noun (uncountable: information)
Tibetan
1 entries- དཀྲོག་གཏམ noun (uncountable: information)
Turkish
2 entries- rivayet noun (uncountable: information)
- söylenti noun (uncountable: information)
Sample sentences
17 total sentences available.
The rumor is not true as far as I know.
Source: tatoeba (26637)
The rumor turned out false.
Source: tatoeba (26638)
The rumor turned out true.
Source: tatoeba (26639)
Showing 4 of 17 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "rumor"?
Closest matches include hearsay, announce, backbiting, badmouthing, blab.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "rumor"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.