Quick answer
Drivel is a blunt word for nonsense that seems empty or worthless. It usually dismisses the quality of the words or ideas.
Word page
Drivel Meaning
Drivel is nonsense with very little patience left for it. The word is useful when talk, writing, or an argument feels foolish, empty, and not worth taking seriously.
At a glance
How to say it
Meaning in plain English
In plain English, drivel is worthless nonsense. It can describe a bad article, a weak excuse, a silly theory, or someone talking foolishly.
Tone, context, and nuance
Drivel is stronger and blunter than piffle or twaddle. It carries a sharper judgment: the language or idea is not merely silly, but poor enough to dismiss.
Word origin
Drivel has older senses connected with drooling or slobbering, and later developed the figurative sense of foolish or worthless speech.
Example sentences
- Simple: That article is complete drivel.
- Everyday: I stopped listening when the explanation turned into drivel.
- Writing: The pamphlet dressed its drivel in patriotic language.
- Nuance: Drivel sounds harsher than piffle because it judges the content as worthless.
- Awkward: "The report was detailed, so it was drivel." Better: "The report was detailed," unless the content was foolish or worthless.
Common mistakes
- Using it for a person: A statement can be drivel; a person is not usually “a drivel.”
- Forgetting the verb sense: To drivel can mean to speak foolishly, though the noun is more common today.
- Using it for technical writing only because it is hard: Difficult writing is not drivel if it is accurate and useful.
- Making it too gentle: Drivel is a fairly blunt dismissal.
Synonyms and similar words
Opposite words
sense, substance, useful argument, clarity, sound reasoning
Word family
Related forms include drivelled or driveled, drivelling or driveling, depending on spelling style. Drivel is most often used as a noun in modern everyday English.
Writing tip
Use drivel when you want a firm dismissal. If you want a lighter, comic word, piffle or twaddle may be better.
Common questions
- What does drivel mean in simple words? Drivel means foolish, worthless, or nonsensical talk or writing.
- Is drivel rude? It is dismissive and can sound rude if aimed at someone’s ideas.
- How do you pronounce drivel? Drivel is pronounced DRIV-ul.
- What is the difference between drivel and twaddle? Drivel is usually harsher; twaddle is more playful and comic.
- What is another word for drivel? Similar words include twaddle, piffle, claptrap, balderdash, and nonsense.
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Editorial note
Edited by Absurd Words. Last updated: May 14, 2026. See the editorial policy for how definitions, examples, labels, and update checks are handled on the site.