hush-hush
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of hush-hush
First recorded in 1915–20; reduplication based on hush
Vocabulary lists containing hush-hush
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Gerko often posts acerbic barbs on LinkedIn about XTX’s rivals, making him an unusually vocal figure in the hush-hush world of computerized traders.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
We witnessed a rarity in the House this week: A public “trial” before the usually hush-hush House Ethics Committee.
From Slate • Mar. 28, 2026
“It was the kind of hush-hush tones in people, I knew something wasn’t right.”
From BBC • Jul. 12, 2025
Why do you think menopause has been a hush-hush topic in the past, and why is it so important that open conversations about it continue?
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2025
They were on a mission for the National Security Agency—the hush-hush government intelligence agency where William had worked before his retirement, and which he still sometimes served.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
