hush money

noun

1. a bribe to keep someone silent about something, especially to keep the receiver from exposing a scandal.

hush money

noun

1. slang.
   money given to a person, such as an accomplice, to ensure that something is kept secret

Word History and Origins

Origin of hush money¹

First recorded in 1700–10

Idioms and Phrases

A bribe paid to keep something secret, as in No amount of hush money will keep that scandal from coming out . [c. 1700]

Example Sentences

That precipitated a congressional hearing, in which records were subpoenaed about cover-ups, hush money and deleted shadow logs.

From Time

It was hush money, basically—payment for signing a waiver that said I would never sue them or talk about any of this to the media and rival affiliates.

From MIT Technology Review

The Church would “deal with the families in as limited way as possible, and pay them hush money.”

From The Daily Beast

He wants “more than a handout, a payoff, hush money, or a reluctant bribe.”

From The Daily Beast

Plumbers, hush money, enemies list, smoking-gun tape, the whole nine yards.

From The Daily Beast

The employee described it as a kind of hush money, making staffers disinclined to question dubious company practices.

From The Daily Beast

He evidently has no suspicion, or he would have come to us for hush-money long ago.

From Project Gutenberg

At such a moment then, called our ladies-legatees, clamorous for hush-money.

From Project Gutenberg

His father looked at him with a countenance full of disgust, and answered grimly: "Oh, it's hush-money you're after, is it?"

From Project Gutenberg

Said he was afraid it would lead him to accept ‘dirty money’—you know, hush money—from real wrongdoers.

From Project Gutenberg

Will the bell-boy who works for tips grow up to be a policeman who accepts hush-money from the corner saloon-keeper?

From Project Gutenberg

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