whisper
Americanverb (used without object)
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whispers,
present (3rd person singular)
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whispered,
past participle, past
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whispering
present participle
-
to speak with soft, hushed sounds, using the breath, lips, etc., but with no vibration of the vocal cords.
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Phonetics. to produce utterance substituting breath for phonation.
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to talk softly and privately (often implying gossip, slander, plotting, or the like).
The king knew that the courtiers were whispering.
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(of trees, water, breezes, etc.) to make a soft, rustling sound like that of whispering.
verb (used with object)
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whispers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
whispered,
past participle, past
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whispering
present participle
-
to utter with soft, low sounds, using the breath, lips, etc..
He whispered endearments to her.
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Phonetics. to utter (speech sounds) substituting breath for phonation.
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to say or tell in a whisper; tell privately.
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to speak to or tell (a person) in a whisper or privately.
noun
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whispers
plural
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the mode of utterance, or the voice, of a person who whispers.
to speak in a whisper.
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a word or remark uttered by whispering.
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a rumor or insinuation.
Whispers circulated about the affair.
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a soft, rustling sound like a whisper.
the whisper of leaves in the wind.
verb
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to speak or utter (something) in a soft hushed tone, esp without vibration of the vocal cords
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(intr) to speak secretly or furtively, as in promoting intrigue, gossip, etc
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(intr) (of leaves, trees, etc) to make a low soft rustling sound
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(tr) to utter or suggest secretly or privately
to whisper treason
noun
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a low soft voice
to speak in a whisper
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something uttered in such a voice
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a low soft rustling sound
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a trace or suspicion
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informal a rumour or secret
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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whispersimple
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whisperssimple
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have whisperedperfect
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has whisperedperfect
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am whisperingprogressive
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are whisperingprogressive
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is whisperingprogressive
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have been whisperingperfect progressive
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has been whisperingperfect progressive
Past
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whisperedsimple
-
had whisperedperfect
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was whisperingprogressive
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were whisperingprogressive
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had been whisperingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of whisper
First recorded before 950; Middle English whisperen (verb), Old English hwisprian; akin to German wispern, Old Norse hviskra, hvīsla “to whistle”; cf. whine
Explanation
Psst! When you speak very quietly, so that hardly anyone can hear, you're whispering, or speaking in a whisper. A whisper is the opposite of a shout. When teachers talk about using your outside voice (when you're outside) and your inside voice (for speaking normally), the whisper is even quieter than the inside voice. This word can apply to other sounds too: you could say the wind is whispering. Whispers really do sound a lot like "Psst psst psst" to anyone who can't hear the exact words. You're likely to hear a lot of whispering in the library.
Vocabulary lists containing whisper
"Charlotte's Web": Chapter One
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Vocabulary from poems about communication
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Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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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.
See Examples For:
Toward the end of “Tracey Emin: A Second Life,” a career-spanning retrospective of the influential—and once-controversial—British artist, hangs a neon sign from 2010 that reads: “I whisper to My Past Do I have Another Choice.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Watching Graham break into tears and whisper, “You really scared me,” is one of the most vulnerable moments I’ve witnessed in the last six months.
From Salon ● Jun. 20, 2026
This is where the dream ends for so many of my parents’ generation, who once came westward on the whisper of hope.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
Preparations for this major event have started with a whisper, but China appears ready to put on a show for US President Donald Trump.
From BBC ● May 11, 2026
“And this woman,” Colin’s voice drops to a whisper.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
Lisa-Kaindé is the bleeding heart who whispers divinity into her lyrics, and Naomi grounds them with the beating pulse of her percussion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
It is totally unacceptable and it is heightened by these unfounded whispers which question a referee's impartiality.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
A young man whispers into the phone that he is trying to identify his mother.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
This portion of the curriculum, naturally, came with plenty of giggles and whispers.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
I don’t know who whispers this—Camille or Dad, probably —but I can’t look away.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
The topic is whispered in some and debated in others.
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026
A place whispered about online as though it sits just beyond the edges of our known world.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
This has been whispered about and lamented since the COVID-19 pandemic led to temporary theater closures across the country that have since become permanent, but it is rare to hear it expressed so candidly.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
MIAMI—My escort ducked his head into the empty TSA checkpoint 2 miles outside Miami International Airport and whispered, “We have a member arriving.‘
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
When it was my turn, she whispered, “The decor turned out beautifully.”
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
“I want to tell you what they’re whispering about Michiganders out in Washington, because I’ve heard it myself,” Ocasio-Cortez told the crowd at the Detroit rally.
From Slate ● Jul. 30, 2026
“He’s whispering to me, ‘Mom, this is your path.’
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
When you watch footage of the Army-McCarthy hearings, he’s sitting there right by McCarthy’s side, whispering in his ear.
From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026
After the podcast, Swift had "a lot of people whispering in my ear", encouraging her to hook up with Travis.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
It was a crisp autumn night, and leaves danced in the air, the threat of a storm whispering in the wind.
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
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.
