Blather is an informalused in casual speech, not in formal situations word for foolishlacking good sense; silly or unwise or pointless talk. It can also mean nonsensespeech or ideas that make no sense or have no value itself, as a noun. The word is often used when someone is speaking at length without saying anything useful.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈblæðər/
Easy pronunciation: BLATH-er (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable.
Verb sense: to talk foolishly or at length without saying anything useful.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Blather Meaning
to keep talking nonsense
Part of speech: verb
Definition: to talk foolishly or at length without saying anything useful
Example: He kept blathering on about things nobody cared about.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- babble — A close everyday substitute for speaking in a confused or foolish way.
- blether — Used especially in Scottish and related English varieties; fits the same sense.
- blither — A strong match for talking nonsense or foolishly.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Blather
Meaning 2
nonsense talk
Part of speech: noun
Definition: foolish or meaningless talk; nonsense
Example: I’m tired of all this blather.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- blatherskite — A noun for nonsense talk or a person who talks nonsense; related, but less common and more specific.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Blather Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- babble
- blether
- blither
noun: foolish or meaningless talk; nonsense
- blatherskite
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using blather as if it meant ordinary conversation.
- Mixing up the verb sense (to talk nonsense) with the noun sense (nonsense talk).
- Treating blatherskite as a perfect everyday synonym; it is much less common and can also refer to a person, not just the talk.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does blather mean?
Blather means to talk foolishly or at unnecessary length. It can also mean nonsense talk as a noun.
What is a good synonym for blather?
For the verb sense, good synonyms include babble, blether, and blither. For the noun sense, blatherskite is related, though less common.
Is blather formal or informal?
Blather is informal and often a little dismissive. It is commonly used when someone thinks a speaker is saying nonsense.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
