hush money

American  

noun

1. a bribe to keep someone silent about something, especially to keep the receiver from exposing a scandal.

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hush money British  

noun

1. slang money given to a person, such as an accomplice, to ensure that something is kept secret

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hush money Idioms  

1. A bribe paid to keep something secret, as in No amount of hush money will keep that scandal from coming out. [c. 1700]

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Etymology

Origin of hush money

First recorded in 1700–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hush money

Hellerstein has also tangled with Donald Trump, rejecting a request by the US president to have his New York hush money case moved to federal court.

From Barron's ● Mar. 24, 2026

She said it had felt like "hush money".

From BBC ● Dec. 9, 2024

The justice was also scheduled to issue his own decision about how the Supreme Court’s immunity decision impacts the hush money case on Sept. 16.

From Slate ● Sep. 6, 2024

Second, Blanche claimed that the monthly $35,000 payment to Cohen was a legal service and not a reimbursement for the hush money he paid Daniels.

From Salon ● May 31, 2024

The complicated chain of events, known as the Watergate scandal, included hush money and destroyed evidence.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge

Related Words

• kickback