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:
Everyone knew their fellow New Yorkers needed a bit of a break, and for a short period, the usual din of the city calmed to a whisper.
From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2026
The $6 billion figure was "near the lower end of the whisper range," Innes wrote in a Substack column.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
So on Friday, the headline will scream energy and the core will whisper calm.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026
Moore begins with a whisper and builds to a roar as Mona improvises a manic rant that involves rats and the plague.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026
“Don’t call me that,” Danny said, but it was just a whisper.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
In shouts and whispers alike, she made sure people felt valued.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026
There’s been no sign of a middle life panic, no whispers of a comeback, no social media meltdowns or slap fights with Jake Paul.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
It is totally unacceptable and it is heightened by these unfounded whispers which question a referee's impartiality.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
Shabbos whispers a quiet but profoundly countercultural truth: Your worth isn’t measured by your productivity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
“The whispers began about two years ago, but the other things started yesterday.”
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
In the corridors of Brussels, there's whispered talk of constructing a "special association agreement" with Canada.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
That night, attendees whispered that this was only the beginning, and it was likely that the country’s finances would get much worse.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
Imagine a little birdie from the future landed on my shoulder and whispered, with 98% probability, exactly what the stock market and bond market are going to do.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
Questions about her priorities as a mom have been whispered and shouted, so without hesitation, she answers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
“What’s in it for me?” he whispered back, his arms wrapping around me in what was probably the most awkward and weird hug of my life as he kept up the bizarre charade.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
On weekday mornings, they’re packed with ordinary people burning offerings and whispering prayers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
"We support Hamilton and Leclerc - we support Ferrari," says Daniele emphatically, although youngest son Demis, while still loyal to the Scuderia, is an Antonelli fan, whispering the Mercedes driver is "really good".
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
Least of all the relentless drive that would one day have everyone at USC raving and others around the nation whispering about one of the most anticipated freshman in college football.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
“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
Then he adds, almost whispering because it sounds too good to be true, “With a Steinway grand.”
From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
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.
