hushed

[huhsht]

adjective

1. (of speech) deliberately quiet, especially when silence is prudent, respectful, or requested.

   Only an occasional whisper could be heard among our hushed voices.

2. (of a place or situation) having a calm silence, often because those in attendance are being respectful or are waiting to hear something: sitting nervously in the hushed courtroom.

   the hushed galleries of a museum;

   sitting nervously in the hushed courtroom.

Other Word Forms

• hushedly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of hushed¹

First recorded in 1600–10; hush ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Grief, too, steers us, a cleansing ritual, as I recall each time my wife and I meander beneath Green-Wood’s leafy canopy, parakeets swooping and chattering overhead, or sit quietly in its hushed chapel.

From Los Angeles Times

We share our horror in hushed tones with like-minded friends or find momentary solidarity in a columnist’s outrage, but mostly we’re left to process these events on our own.

From Salon

But I hadn’t noticed how one plate sang while another spoke in hushed tones.

From Salon

The resultant album, “Nebraska,” is one of the ’80s most hushed accomplishments and it took an actor of White’s confidence to make that inward journey compelling.

From Los Angeles Times

In the limited coverage of the siege, the isolated Armenians spoke in hushed tones, their faces drawn from months of fear and deprivation.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• muted