rumour
gb/ɹˈumɚ/ us/ɹˈumɚ/
B1
English
~ 8800
híresztelés, pletyka, szóbeszéd, híresztel, az a hír járja, moraj
NOUN
B1
1
Usage pattern:
a rumour that [clause]
There’s a rumour that the company might move its offices to London.
Az a hír járja, hogy a cég Londonba költöztetheti az irodáit.
She denied the rumour that she was leaving the team.
Cáfolta azt a híresztelést, hogy elhagyja a csapatot.
The rumour spread quickly through the school before anyone checked if it was true.
I don’t believe the rumour about them breaking up; it sounds made up.
By Monday morning, the rumour had reached everyone in the building.
Learner examples
There is a rumour that our teacher will leave.
Az a pletyka járja, hogy a tanárunk elmegy.
I heard a rumour about my friend, but I do not believe it.
Hallottam egy pletykát a barátomról, de nem hiszem el.
People like to spread rumours on social media.
The rumour is not true, but many people think it is.
He started a rumour, and now everyone is talking about it.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse 'rumour' with 'gossip'. 'Rumour' is usually about one story or piece of information, while 'gossip' is general talk about people’s private lives. Another common mistake is spelling: British English uses 'rumour', while American English uses 'rumor'. Also, learners sometimes say *'a rumour about that she will leave'* instead of the correct patterns 'a rumour that she will leave' or 'a rumour about her leaving'.
Meaning
unverified story people are saying
Collocations
spread a rumour
|start a rumour
|deny a rumour
|unfounded rumour
|persistent rumour
|wild rumour
Synonyms
gossip (Often focuses on personal or private details about people and can sound more negative or childish than 'rumour'.)
|
speculation (Sounds more formal and suggests guessing or thinking about possible explanations, not just passing along a story.)
Antonyms
fact (Something that is known to be true and can be proven, unlike a rumour.)
|
confirmation (Official or reliable proof that something is true, which a rumour does not have.)
Themes
communication
|social
|media
|work
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A story or piece of information that many people talk about, but it may not be true and is not official.
Information or a story that is being passed from person to person but may not be true and is not officially confirmed.
VERB
B2
2
híresztel
B2
Usage pattern:
it is rumoured that [clause]
It is rumoured that the prime minister will call an early election.
Az a hír járja, hogy a miniszterelnök előrehozott választást ír ki.
The actress is rumoured to be working on a new film trilogy.
A színésznőről azt híresztelik, hogy egy új filmtrilógián dolgozik.
Their separation was widely rumoured long before they spoke about it publicly.
In the city, it was rumoured that the old factory would be turned into luxury flats.
Learner examples
It is rumoured that the company will close next year.
Az a hír járja, hogy a cég jövőre bezár.
The player is rumoured to be very unhappy at his club.
A játékosról azt híresztelik, hogy nagyon rosszul érzi magát a klubjánál.
Their wedding date is rumoured to be in June.
In the office, it was rumoured that our boss might move to another country.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes try to use the active form with a person as the subject, like *'People rumour that he will quit.'* In modern English, 'rumour' as a verb is most often used in the passive form: 'It is rumoured that…' or 'He is rumoured to…'. Also, do not say *'It is rumoured how he will quit'*; use 'that' or an infinitive: 'It is rumoured that he will quit' or 'He is rumoured to quit.'
Meaning
to report something unofficially
Collocations
it is rumoured that
|be widely rumoured
|rumoured to be
|rumoured affair
|rumoured plans
Synonyms
speculate (Focuses more on guessing or forming an opinion without full information, while 'rumour' stresses that the information is being passed around.)
|
whisper (Suggests speaking quietly or secretly; when used about news, it can imply spreading rumours in a secretive way.)
Antonyms
confirm (Means to show or say officially that something is true, the opposite of passing on unverified information.)
|
announce (Means to say something officially and clearly in public, unlike the unofficial nature of 'rumouring'.)
Themes
communication
|media
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To say something about a person or thing, without proof and not officially, so that it becomes a rumour.
To say or report something about someone or something in an unofficial way, so that it becomes a rumour.
NOUN
C2
LITERARY
3
moraj
B2
Usage pattern:
the rumour of [something]
Through the open window came the distant rumour of traffic on the main road.
A nyitott ablakon át behallatszott a főút forgalmának távoli moraja.
Only the soft rumour of the crowd broke the evening calm.
Csak a tömeg halk moraja törte meg az esti nyugalmat.
They walked in silence, listening to the low rumour of voices from the village below.
Learner examples
I heard the soft rumour of people talking outside.
Hallottam az odakint beszélgető emberek halk moraját.
The rumour of the city traffic never stopped at night.
A városi forgalom moraja éjjel sem szűnt meg.
We could hear the low rumour of the crowd in the stadium.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this meaning is the same as the common meaning of 'rumour' as unverified information. In this literary sense, it refers to a sound, not to information or stories. It is rare in modern everyday English and mostly found in older or literary texts.
Meaning
distant low continuous sound
Collocations
the distant rumour of traffic
|the low rumour of voices
|the soft rumour of the crowd
Synonyms
murmur (Very similar in meaning, but 'murmur' is more common in modern English and not as literary as this sense of 'rumour'.)
Antonyms
silence (The complete absence of sound, the opposite of a low continuous background noise.)
Themes
sound
|literature
|nature
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A low, steady sound from far away, made by many voices or things together.
A low, continuous, and often distant sound made by many people or things, like a murmur or general noise.
Grammar
Dictionary form
rumour
IPA
GB/ɹˈumɚ/
US/ɹˈumɚ/
Syllables & stress
ru - mour (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (ru)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: rumour
- Variant Spelling: rumor
- Plural: rumour, rumours
Verb
- Base: rumour
- Variant Spelling: rumor
- 3rd Person Singular: rumours
- Present Participle: rumouring
- Past: rumoured
Word family
Forms
Highlights
- Spelling Variant: rumor Verb
- Spelling Variant: rumor Noun
Expressions
deny a rumour
1/dɪnˈaɪ ə ɹˈumɚ/
fixed phrase
say a rumour is not true
To say clearly and often officially that a rumour is not true.
Examples
- The company denied the rumour that it planned to cut jobs.
- His agent quickly denied the rumour about his retirement.
dismiss a rumour
1/dɪsmˈɪs ə ɹˈumɚ/
fixed phrase
reject a rumour as untrue
To say that a rumour is not true or not important and should not be believed.
Examples
- Officials dismissed the rumour as completely false.
- She dismissed the rumour with a laugh and changed the subject.
fuel rumours
1/fjˈul ɹˈumɚz/
fixed phrase
make rumours grow stronger
To make people talk more about rumours, often by doing something that makes the rumours seem more likely.
Examples
- His silence only fuelled rumours that he was about to resign.
- The photo on social media fuelled rumours of a secret wedding.
rumour has it (that)
1/ɹˈumɚ hˈæz ˈɪt ðˈæt/
idiom
people are saying this rumour
People say that something is true, but there is no official proof.
Examples
- Rumour has it that the band is getting back together next year.
- Rumour has it she’s been offered a job in New York.
rumour mill
1/ɹˈumɚ mˈɪl/
idiom
place or system that produces rumours
The situation, place, or people where many rumours are created and shared.
Examples
- With social media, the rumour mill never stops turning.
- The office rumour mill went wild after the email from the CEO.
spread a rumour
1/spɹˈɛd ə ɹˈumɚ/
fixed phrase
tell many people a rumour
To tell a rumour to many people so that more and more people know it.
Examples
- Someone spread a rumour about him cheating on the exam.
- Please don’t spread that rumour; you don’t know if it’s true.
start a rumour
1/stˈɑɹt ə ɹˈumɚ/
fixed phrase
create and begin a rumour
To be the first person to make up a rumour and tell it to others.
Examples
- Who started the rumour that the shop was closing?
- She admitted that she had started the rumour as a joke.
unfounded rumour
1/ʌnfˈaʊndɪd ɹˈumɚ/
fixed phrase
rumour with no real basis
A rumour that has no proof or good reason behind it and is probably not true.
Examples
- The school said the story was an unfounded rumour.
- Many unfounded rumours were shared online during the crisis.