keep/stay mum
idiom
informal
: to not tell anyone (about something)
She told him to keep/stay mum about the project.
Examples of keep/stay mum in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But in a book that goes to great lengths to dissect the transmission of habits and ideas from father and son, Elon is allowed to stay mum.
—
Brian Merchant, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2023
But activists say the risk of offending the rulers of the world’s second-biggest economy has caused the companies to stick with their deals and stay mum on China’s human rights abuses, despite a U.S. State Department determination that China is committing genocide against the Uyghur minority.
—Washington Post, 13 Jan. 2022
The United States, in coordination with its own key allies in Europe and Asia, agreed on its need to keep mum as well.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 June 2023
Biden and the Democrats stay mum All this activity will generate more revelations and more turmoil for the 2024 campaigns – at least the Republican ones.
—David Jackson, USA TODAY, 14 June 2023
The actress, singer and TV host was able to stay mum on the subject, a feat that surprised even her closest family members.
—Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 2 May 2023
So can employers now never require me to stay mum about the company as a condition of receiving severance?
—Jeanne Sahadi, CNN, 26 Feb. 2023
Robinson chose to stay mum on why there isn’t a Swift song on the film’s soundtrack.
—Time, 16 Sep. 2022
Both women have dated men and women over the years, and for Da Brat, the rapper has shared that the decision to stay mum about her romantic life previously had to do with the past stigma being out in the 90s and early ’00s came with.
—Essence, 4 Aug. 2021
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Brian Merchant, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2023
But activists say the risk of offending the rulers of the world’s second-biggest economy has caused the companies to stick with their deals and stay mum on China’s human rights abuses, despite a U.S. State Department determination that China is committing genocide against the Uyghur minority.
—Washington Post, 13 Jan. 2022
The United States, in coordination with its own key allies in Europe and Asia, agreed on its need to keep mum as well.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 June 2023
Biden and the Democrats stay mum All this activity will generate more revelations and more turmoil for the 2024 campaigns – at least the Republican ones.
—David Jackson, USA TODAY, 14 June 2023
The actress, singer and TV host was able to stay mum on the subject, a feat that surprised even her closest family members.
—Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 2 May 2023
So can employers now never require me to stay mum about the company as a condition of receiving severance?
—Jeanne Sahadi, CNN, 26 Feb. 2023
Robinson chose to stay mum on why there isn’t a Swift song on the film’s soundtrack.
—Time, 16 Sep. 2022
Both women have dated men and women over the years, and for Da Brat, the rapper has shared that the decision to stay mum about her romantic life previously had to do with the past stigma being out in the 90s and early ’00s came with.
—Essence, 4 Aug. 2021
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'keep/stay mum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near keep/stay mum
Cite this Entry
“Keep/stay mum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep%2Fstay%20mum. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.
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