hush-hush

American  

[huhsh-huhsh] / ˈhʌʃˌhʌʃ /

adjective

1. highly secret or confidential.

   a hush-hush political investigation.

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hush-hush British  

adjective

1. informal (esp of official work, documents, etc) secret; confidential

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Etymology

Origin of hush-hush

First recorded in 1915–20; reduplication based on hush

Example Sentences

Launched earlier this year, the hush-hush undertaking evaluated thousands of the company’s coffee shops across North America on profitability, and the experience of customers and baristas.

From The Wall Street Journal

“It was the kind of hush-hush tones in people, I knew something wasn’t right.”

From BBC

The hush-hush arrival of the couple’s newest family member shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise considering they have mostly kept details of their private life away from the public eye.

From Los Angeles Times

"The problem has been going on long enough, and everyone knows in their hearts the basic situation. There's no need to be hush-hush any more."

From BBC

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

Related Words

• confidential