English · Word Candidate

um

/ʌm/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: ums · umming · ummed

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Expression of hesitation, uncertainty or space filler in conversation.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

biểu thức do dự hoặc lấp đầy không gian trong cuộc trò chuyện

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Interjection

Examples

Um, I don’t know.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Dated spelling of mmm.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

không thể dịch

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

InterjectionRegister: US

Examples

"About the same, wherever you go," he agreed. "Um," I said.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To make the um sound to express uncertainty or hesitancy.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

tạo âm thanh um để thể hiện sự không chắc chắn

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Verb

Examples

Meanwhile, in the popular mind umming was simply a bad habit, akin to spitting or picking one’s nose.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

An occurrence of the interjection "um".

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

sự xảy ra của từ cảm thán um

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

Although Shakespeare refers to “hums and ha’s,” sifting through etiquette manuals and public-speaking guides turns up scant evidence of a prohibition against ums, ers and uhs, which are profuse in the first recording of Thomas Edison’s voice, in 1888. Mr. Erard, rather ingeniously, traces the prohib

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “um” mean?

Expression of hesitation, uncertainty or space filler in conversation.

Is “um” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.