hushed
Americanadjective
-
(of speech) deliberately quiet, especially when silence is prudent, respectful, or requested.
Only an occasional whisper could be heard among our hushed voices.
-
(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
Etymology
Origin of hushed
First recorded in 1600–10; hush ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )
Vocabulary lists containing hushed
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.
The walls carry bottles, cans, jars, and echo hushed conversation.
From Salon • Jun. 23, 2026
You could only hear her offer a hushed “no” because the room had never been more silent.
From Slate • Jun. 16, 2026
She remembers feeling "something was not right" and describes the theatre room as hushed, with "no one was really talking" until "an alarm went off".
From BBC • May 11, 2026
To the uninitiated, cross-country skiing looks like a graceful, rhythmic activity set against a hushed winter landscape.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026
Penelope lifted one eyebrow and waited until they hushed.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
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.
