# drivel

/ˈdɹɪvəɫ/ (US) · /dɹˈɪvəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/drivel
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 2. to talk nonsense

verb · CEFR C2 · Informal

to talk for a long time about things that are not important or do not make sense.

For teachers: to speak in a foolish, rambling, or nonsensical manner.

- He was driveling on about his old car for over an hour.
- The politician continued to drivel on about minor technicalities while the audience waited for an answer to the primary question.

### 3. saliva

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

the liquid that comes out of the mouth; drool.

For teachers: saliva or mucus flowing from the mouth or nose. This sense is the etymological root of the 'nonsense' meaning but is now less common.

- The old dog had a bit of drivel on its chin.
- In the medical text, the term was used to describe the involuntary drivel observed in patients with specific neurological impairments.

### 4. to drool

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic

to let liquid fall from the mouth.

For teachers: to allow saliva to flow from the mouth; to drool or slaver.

- The baby started to drivel as she fell asleep.
- The patient began to drivel uncontrollably, a symptom that the nursing staff noted as a sign of worsening motor function.

## Examples

- I am tired of listening to his political drivel.
- The critic dismissed the author's latest work as mere drivel, noting that the plot lacked any real depth.
- While the speaker's rhetoric was intended to inspire, many in the audience found his repetitive drivel to be a waste of their time and energy.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.