rumours
Whispered, unconfirmed stories
Rumours is the British spelling of rumors—unverified stories or reports passed from person to person: Rumours of layoffs spread through the office.
Rumours may be true, false, or somewhere between.
The word often implies gossip or speculation: There were rumours about their relationship for months.
Unverified secondhand information
- tittle-tattleTrivial, idle chatter
- whispersSpeaks very quietly
- buzzContinuous low drone
- chatterLight, rapid speech
grapevine · scuttlebutt · backbiting · tales · idle talk · dirt · murmurs · word-of-mouth
Guess from limited facts
- unconfirmedNot officially validated
- unsubstantiatedWithout supporting evidence
- unfoundedWithout factual support
- baselessLacking factual support
alleged · guesswork · supposition · hearsay · inference · surmise · theorizing · assumption
Speaks very quietly
- hushedReduced to silence
- confidentialMeant to stay secret
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
- covertIntentionally concealed
furtive · discreet · behind closed doors · under wraps · hush-hush · off the record · insider · leaked
Sensationalist newspaper format
- headlineNews article title
- disgraceLoss of honor
- exposéInvestigative journalism piece
- cover-upHiding wrongdoing from public
leak · impropriety · resignation · corruption · backlash · outrage · smear · allegation
Move in a loop
- propagateSpread or breed further
- disseminateSpread information widely
- viralSpreading quickly online
- wildfireUncontrolled vegetation blaze
snowball · escalate · proliferate · relay · transmit · pass along · make the rounds · get around
hearsay
Unverified secondhand information
- tittle-tattleTrivial, idle chatter
- whispersSpeaks very quietly
- buzzContinuous low drone
chatter · grapevine · scuttlebutt · backbiting · tales · idle talk · dirt · murmurs · word-of-mouth · tongues wagging
conjecture
Guess from limited facts
- unconfirmedNot officially validated
- unsubstantiatedWithout supporting evidence
- unfoundedWithout factual support
baseless · alleged · guesswork · supposition · hearsay · inference · surmise · theorizing · assumption · supposedly
whispers
Speaks very quietly
- hushedReduced to silence
- confidentialMeant to stay secret
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
covert · furtive · discreet · behind closed doors · under wraps · hush-hush · off the record · insider · leaked · private
tabloid
Sensationalist newspaper format
cover-up · leak · impropriety · resignation · corruption · backlash · outrage · smear · allegation · innuendo
circulate
Move in a loop
- propagateSpread or breed further
- disseminateSpread information widely
- viralSpreading quickly online
wildfire · snowball · escalate · proliferate · relay · transmit · pass along · make the rounds · get around · surface
rumoursfacts
Verifiable pieces of truth
truths · hard evidence · evidence · verified accounts · certainties
rumourspress releases
Formal announcements for journalists
public records · news reports · journalism · public testimony · sworn statements
rumoursknowledge
Understood facts and skills
certainties · common knowledge · axioms · givens · verities
- rumour millGossip production source
- rumour had itAccording to unverified talk
- rumour campaignDeliberate spreading of unverified claims