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 Ultimately, sharing his experience and humanizing the experience of going through fertility treatment was too important to Underwood to stay mum, which is why he was inspired to launch his new podcast, Daddyhood. Maressa Brown, Parents, 16 Feb. 2024 For the wife of a furrier who had grown up in the outer boroughs and had an accent to match, Ms. Mason’s suggestion was to pretend to have a cold and stay mum and let her husband do the talking during the board interview. Penelope Green, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2024 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

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.

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Cite this Entry

“Keep/stay mum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep%2Fstay%20mum. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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