hush

1 of 3

verb

ˈhəsh 

hushed; hushing; hushes

transitive verb

1

: calm, quiet

hushed the children as they entered the library

2

: to put at rest : mollify

3

: to keep from public knowledge : suppress

hush the story up

intransitive verb

: to become quiet

hush

2 of 3

adjective

1

archaic : silent, still

2

: intended to prevent the dissemination of certain information

hush money

hush

3 of 3

noun

: a silence or calm especially following noise : quiet

Synonyms of hush

Verb

• cool
• settle (down)

Noun

• restfulness
• quiet
• serenity
• quietness
• sereneness
• silence
• calm

Examples of hush in a Sentence

Verb

The woman in the seat behind me was trying to hush her baby.

The judge hushed the spectators.

The spectators hushed as the judge entered the courtroom.

Noun

the storm passed, and a hush fell over the sea

a hush fell over the auditorium as the lights went down

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Or will the hype get hushed in short order? — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 19 June 2026

Maggie saw couples pointing, whispering hushed opinions to each other. — Literary Hub, 8 May 2026

Adjective

In other words, movies are being tweaked and plumped, but studios are keeping hush about how. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 22 June 2026

His arms shot down; the Arkestra cut to hush; the hall tremored with complicated silence. — Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026

Noun

The spa The 800-square-meter wellness space is pure hush. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026

At that hour the water was periwinkle, the sky soft graphite; the only sound was the hush of the boat’s twin hulls through the waves. — Julie Orringer, Travel + Leisure, 9 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

back-formation from husht hushed, from Middle English hussht, from huissht, interjection used to enjoin silence

First Known Use

Verb

1546, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1650, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hush

• hush-hush
• hush money
• hush puppy
• hush up
• hush up (someone or something)

Rhymes for hush

• blush
• brush
• crush
• flush
• gush
• lush
• mush
• plush
• shush
• slush
• thrush
• airbrush

Kids Definition

hush

1 of 2 verb

ˈhəsh 

1

: to make quiet, calm, or still : soothe

hush a baby

2

: to become quiet

3

: to keep from public knowledge : suppress

hush up the crime

hush

2 of 2 noun

: a silence or calm especially following noise