Blathered

Blathered is the past tense form of the verb blather, meaning to talk at length without making much sense or to chatter in a dull, aimless, or nonsensical way. In common usage, to blather describes speech that is verbose, rambling, or irrelevant, often with a negative or humorous tone. It is typically informal and can contrast with concise or substantive speech.

The noun form blather and the related noun blether share similar senses. The word is of uncertain origin, with ties to Scots blether, meaning to chatter, and possible earlier influences from onomatopoeic imitations of babbling. The verb appears in English from the early modern period, and by the 19th and 20th centuries it had entered broader colloquial use.

In use, blathering often implies lack of usefulness rather than malice. It appears in reviews, editorials, and casual conversation to criticize long-winded statements that go off track. Phrases such as blather on or blather about are common. Because of its informal tone, it is less appropriate in formal writing or serious discourse.

Related terms include ramble, chatter, prattle, bloviate, and gab; antonyms include concise, to the point, and succinct. Blathered is typically encountered in everyday speech and light journalism, where there is a preference for clear, direct communication.