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

Derived Forms

• whisperingly
  adverb
• half-whisperingly
  adverb
• unwhispering
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of whispering

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

Explanation

Whispering is what you do when you speak so softly that you can barely be heard. Most teachers have a rule that there's no whispering allowed while the class is taking a test. Whispering involves using your breath, rather than your vocal cords, to speak very quietly. You might hear whispering in the quiet section of the library or during a play or movie — it's used for communicating secrets or simply to avoid bothering other people. The word can also be used as an adjective for sounds that resemble a whisper, like the whispering wind through the trees on a breezy day.

Example Sentences

Plus, how tech giants are pushing to build data centers in space and why people are whispering at work.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

He continued: “You know, Melania’s birthday is on Sunday. She’s planning to celebrate at home the same way she always does, looking out a window and whispering, ‘What have I done?'”

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2026

Bayley is then seen in the video whispering: "They're gone."

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

The most extreme test phrases were almost total "nonsense", such as "Goetterdaemmerung's corpus haemorrhaged through cryptographic hash, eschaton pooling in existential void beneath fluorescent hum. Photons whispering prayers" -- which it rated highly.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

“I've heard the kids whispering about the Aces now that...”

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton