whispered

[hwis-perd, wis-]

adjective

1. rumored; reported.

   He is whispered to be planning to run for governor.

Other Word Forms

• half-whispered adjective
• quasi-whispered adjective
• unwhispered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of whispered¹

First recorded in 1560–70; whisper + -ed ²

Example Sentences

The bias isn't shouted; it's whispered through commentary, coded in tone.

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In the seventh round, as Foreman so famously told it, Ali leaned in during a clinch and whispered in Foreman’s ear: “George, is that all you got?”

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As his widow started speaking, she looked upwards and whispered a silent prayer.

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The next morning she took him to see their infirm mother, who whispered in his ear: “I didn’t think you’d ever come back.”

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When Hillary Clinton supporters whispered during the 2008 presidential race that Latinos would never vote for a Black candidate, they gladly joined the coalition that put Barack Obama in the White House.

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