whispering

American  

[hwis-per-ing, wis-] / ˈʰwɪs pər ɪŋ, ˈwɪs- /

noun

1. whispered talk or conversation.

2. rumor, hearsay, or gossip.

3. a whispered sound.

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adjective

1. that whispers; making a sound like a whisper.

2. like a whisper.

3. given to whispering; gossipy.

4. conversing in whispers.

Other Word Forms

• half-whisperingly
  adverb
• unwhispering
  adjective
• whisperingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of whispering

before 1000; Middle English (noun), Old English hwisprunge. See whisper, -ing ², -ing ¹

Explanation

Whispering is what you do when you speak so softly that you can barely be heard. Most teachers have a rule that there's no whispering allowed while the class is taking a test. Whispering involves using your breath, rather than your vocal cords, to speak very quietly. You might hear whispering in the quiet section of the library or during a play or movie — it's used for communicating secrets or simply to avoid bothering other people. The word can also be used as an adjective for sounds that resemble a whisper, like the whispering wind through the trees on a breezy day.

Example Sentences

At least 22 parcels totaling more than 100 acres in and around Whispering Pines area within Joshua Tree National Park have changed hands since 2021, spurring concerns among neighbors over potential development.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 7, 2025

Out went the dependence on rock, blues and country that had dominated the programme during the years of "Whispering" Bob Harris.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2024

"The Whispering Dark" is that book, a dark academia that transports the reader to fictional Godbole University where Delaney Meyers-Petrov is new, recently accepted into a program that trains students to move between parallel worlds.

From Salon • Dec. 10, 2022

His building was more than a 100 years old and home to several businesses including the Whispering Hills Market, Stuck Junction Saloon, and The Attic, an event venue.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 29, 2022

“Welcome to the Whispering Gallery!” said Mr. Curtain, spinning his wheelchair away from the desk at which he’d been working.

From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart