whispering

American  

[hwis-per-ing, wis-] / ˈʰwɪs pər ɪŋ, ˈwɪs- /

noun

1. whispered talk or conversation.

2. rumor, hearsay, or gossip.

3. a whispered sound.

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adjective

1. that whispers; making a sound like a whisper.

2. like a whisper.

3. given to whispering; gossipy.

4. conversing in whispers.

Other Word Forms

• half-whisperingly adverb
• unwhispering adjective
• whisperingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of whispering

before 1000; Middle English (noun), Old English hwisprunge. See whisper, -ing ², -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Through the crack under the closet door, she said, she saw feet traipsing through the bedroom and heard men whispering in a foreign language.

From Los Angeles Times

The only sounds were the trees whispering in the night breeze, and the rasp of Wolf’s tongue as he licked the rawhide.

From Literature

I pivoted away, only to see two ladies with their heads together whispering as they pointed at me.

From Literature

As I headed home, the hum of Lankershim and the neon blur of bars couldn’t drown out the quiet, unmistakable voice inside me whispering, “I think I just met my future husband.”

From Los Angeles Times

All morning he went at it, not saying a word about my lie of having to help my mom at church, but whispering, even in religion class, a little chant: “Cobra … Cobra.…”

From Literature