Definition

Adjective: 1. Spoken indistinctly or unclearly: Refers to speech that is not articulated clearly, often with sounds running together, making it difficult to understand. This is commonly associated with intoxication, extreme fatigue, or certain medical conditions. 2. Marked by a lack of distinct enunciation: Characterized by a failure to pronounce words with precision, resulting in a blurred or mumbled quality.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • After the dental procedure, her speech was slightly slurred due to the lingering anesthetic.
  • The officer noted that the driver's words were slurred, which was a sign of possible impairment.
  • He was so exhausted that his normally clear voice became slurred.

Advanced Usage

• In a medical or clinical context: Used to describe a symptom of various neurological conditions, strokes, or the effects of substances.
  • Slurred speech, or dysarthria, can be an early warning sign of a stroke.
• In a descriptive, non-literal sense: Occasionally used metaphorically to describe writing or music that is indistinct or blends together.
  • The composer's later works featured slurred melodic lines that flowed into one another. (Note: This usage relates to the verb 'to slur' in music, meaning to play notes legato.)

Variants and Related Words

• Slur (verb): To speak indistinctly so that sounds run into one another.
  • He tends to slur his words when he's nervous.
• Slur (noun): An instance of slurred speech; also, an insulting remark or a curved line in musical notation.
• Slurring (noun/gerund): The action of speaking in a slurred manner.
  • The slurring of his speech became more pronounced.

Synonyms

• Indistinct
• Mumbled
• Thick (as in "thick speech")
• Unclear
• Garbled

Antonyms

• Articulate
• Clear
• Distinct
• Enunciated
• Precise

Related Phrases

• Slur one's speech: To speak in a slurred manner.
  • The medication caused him to slur his speech temporarily.
• Slurred over: (Less common) To pass over something quickly or without proper attention, though this phrasal verb uses the verb 'slur' in its sense of 'to disparage' or 'gloss over'.
  • The report slurred over the important details. (This is a different meaning of the base verb.)

Adjective

1. spoken as if with a thick tongue
   • the thick speech of a drunkard
   • his words were slurred