Whittering

Whittering describes the act of talking incessantly, usually in a trivial, inconsequential, or often annoying manner. It implies a rapid, continuous stream of speech, lacking depth or meaningful substance, often focused on minor details or complaints. The term highlights the tedious and perhaps tiresome quality of the chatter, emphasizing its lack of purpose or engaging content. It suggests a speaker is rambling or babbling, conveying more quantity than quality in their communication. The sound of 'whittering' may, to some, convey high pitch and a squeaky tone.

Whittering meaning with examples

• The politician's whittering during the press conference, filled with platitudes and evasions, left the journalists frustrated. Their constant questions were met with a rapid fire stream of words, leaving them little of substance to report. The audience quickly became disinterested as the conversation drifted into a rambling of off topic topics that no one, including himself, could follow.
• Ignoring his advice, I decided to start the construction myself, but his constant whittering about potential hazards and failures quickly became unbearable. I attempted to reassure him, but he just carried on with his worried state. His constant, meaningless noise prevented me from concentrating on the job, making me less focused.
• At the family gathering, Aunt Susan's whittering about her neighbor's cat and the price of groceries dominated the conversation for hours. Attempts to change the subject were met with even more whittering, showing her resilience. Everyone seemed irritated and annoyed by the endless stream of meaningless chat, finding themselves switching off.
• The old radio's whittering static, a constant background noise, slowly became a source of deep irritation and anxiety. Despite multiple attempts to adjust the settings, the whittering refused to go, creating a sense of frustration. The sound was so irritating, it made it impossible to concentrate on other activities.
• In the aftermath of the break-up, my friend's whittering about his ex's perceived flaws became a tedious exercise. Despite my best efforts to be supportive, his repetitious complaints and shallow analysis of the situation made me feel drained. Eventually I had to start to ignore it, as this was the only way to feel anything other than intense pain and discomfort.