fumfer
7 synonyms for fumfer, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — (informal) To talk in a hesitant, evasive way, avoiding a clear answer.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. verb
(informal) To talk in a hesitant, evasive way, avoiding a clear answer.
“She fumfered around and refused to give a straight answer.”
Etymology
From Yiddish פֿאָנפֿען (fonfen, “to speak with a nasal twang, to mumble”) + -er (frequentative suffix). First attested in 1954. Compare fumf.
Full origin of fumfer →