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mmm

interjection
MMM/m̩/

4 meanings of mmm

Practice

  1. 1
    tastes goodinterjectiononomatopoeic
    A sound expressing pleasure or satisfaction, especially at the taste of food.

    Mmm, you have to try this. The sauce is incredible.

    He closed his eyes after the first sip and murmured, "Mmm, perfect."

    Similaryum

    Oppositeyuck, ugh

  2. 2
    thinkinginterjectiononomatopoeic
    A sound used while thinking something over before responding, or to show doubt or uncertainty.

    Mmm, I hadn't considered that angle before you mentioned it.

    He paused, tapping his pen, and said, "Mmm, there might be a better approach."

    UsageWriters add extra m's (mmmmm) to show a longer hum; drawn out, it can sound like a polite refusal to commit.

    Similarhmm

    Note

    Here the hum buys time while the lips stay closed and the speaker weighs a reply. Stretched out, it can stop sounding like thought and become a polite refusal to commit. Ivan Hewett's 2014 review of Piano Man: a Life of John Ogdon quotes a journalist who wrote that Ogdon's response to a friend's long anecdote was likely to be a noncommittal "Mmmmmmm."

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

    • Ivan Hewett published a review of Piano Man: a Life of John Ogdon in 2014. en.wiktionary.org
  3. 3
    yesinterjectionUK
    A closed-mouth hum used to mean yes or to signal agreement.

    "Did you lock the front door?" "Mmm," she said, not looking up from the telly.

    "Mmm," he agreed when his mate suggested heading to the pub.

    Similaryeah, yep, yes

    Oppositeno, uh-uh

    Note

    In British speech the hum can stand as a complete answer. In Withnail and I (1987), asked "Have you got any food?", the reply is "Mmm! As a matter of fact, got a saveloy." The exclamation mark makes it an eager yes.

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

    • Withnail and I dates from 1987. bfi.org.uk
    • In the quoted exchange, Danny asks about food and the character “I” gives the stated reply. en.wiktionary.org
  4. 4
    muffled speechinterjectiononomatopoeic
    Used in writing to represent speech that is muffled or made while the mouth is full (also spelled "mmph").

    "Mmm!" he protested through a cheekful of cake, waving his fork.

    With the scarf pulled over his face, his answer came out as a thick "Mmm."

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of mmm apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

Onomatopoeic: the word imitates the sound it represents.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact