whisper

1 of 2

verb

whis·​per ˈ(h)wi-spər How to pronounce whisper (audio)
whispered; whispering ˈ(h)wi-sp(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce whisper (audio)

intransitive verb

1
: to speak softly with little or no vibration of the vocal cords especially to avoid being overheard
2
: to make a sibilant sound that resembles whispering

transitive verb

1
: to address in a whisper
2
: to utter or communicate in or as if in a whisper

whisper

2 of 2

noun

1
: something communicated by or as if by whispering
especially : rumor
whispers of scandal
2
a
: an act or instance of whispering
especially : speech without vibration of the vocal cords
b
: a sibilant sound that resembles whispered speech
3
: hint, trace

Examples of whisper in a Sentence

Verb He whispered in my ear. She leaned over and whispered to the girl next to her. I couldn't hear what they were saying because they were whispering. She leaned over and whispered something to the girl next to her. “I'll be right back,” she whispered. A soft breeze whispered through the trees. Noun She spoke in a whisper. the whisper of the wind I've heard whispers that the company might go out of business. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
On Monday, whispers that Swift was at Free State Brewing Co. made its way through the grapevine. Jamie Knodel, NBC News, 27 Sep. 2023 By the way the cocktails all seem to whisper, Go ahead, nobody’s counting? Melissa Clark, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2023 By 2016, players began whispering about a man known as the Maestro. Kevin Sieff, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2023 Gómez waits patiently as the girl whispers to her brother to get another dollar from their mom and dad. Camryn Brewer, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2023 Read the full Aries Daily Horoscope Taurus (April 20 - May 20) Your heart�s intuition may whisper a wake-up call in your ear. USA TODAY, 22 Aug. 2023 Most recently, the final scene of the series finale trended on TikTok with almost 3 million views when fans discovered that Khadijah whispered an additional line after her actual line. Randi Richardson, NBC News, 21 Aug. 2023 It is whispered by those in and around BYU that its collective generally won’t put their deals in writing. Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 24 Aug. 2023 McCarthy-Miller was on the line, whispering from the corner of a studio. Matthew Jacobs, Rolling Stone, 22 Aug. 2023
Noun
As London teeters between its second summer and the first signs of autumn (cooler mornings, knee-high boot sightings, whispers of cuffing season…) the fashion world is taking to the streets for London Fashion Week’s Spring/Summer 2024 season. Ebony-Renee Baker, refinery29.com, 18 Sep. 2023 The debate over the government’s role in the crisis is interrupted by whispers that the flour is finished. Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Sep. 2023 Consider this fragrance a second skin of sorts, a whisper of something people can tell is there but can’t quite identify. Nicola Dall'asen, Allure, 14 Aug. 2023 Christon has heard the whispers about being a breakaway threat, but not a yards-in-the-trenches guy. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2023 Joe, in almost a whisper (as if the fish might hear him), pointed off to the left side. Matthew Monagan, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2023 All around, cultural distortions amplify in whispers and roars. Jason Parham, WIRED, 21 July 2023 In one, a man in a Speedo starts frequenting the local pool, prompting whispers among suburban wives and their husbands, whose reactions are vastly different. Becky Meloan, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2023 Most troubling is that a person who was not necessarily looking for extreme content could end up watching it because the algorithm noticed a whisper of something in their previous choices. Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 30 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whisper.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English hwisperian; akin to Old High German hwispalōn to whisper, Old Norse hvīsla — more at whistle

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1595, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of whisper was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near whisper

Cite this Entry

“Whisper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whisper. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

whisper

1 of 2 verb
whis·​per ˈhwis-pər How to pronounce whisper (audio)
ˈwis-
whispered; whispering -p(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce whisper (audio)
1
: to speak very softly or under the breath
2
: to tell or utter by whispering
whisper a secret
3
: to make a series of little noises
whispering leaves
whisperer
-pər-ər
noun

whisper

2 of 2 noun
1
: something said by or as if by whispering
especially : rumor entry 1
whispers of scandal
2
: an act or instance of whispering
3
: a barely noticeable amount : hint
showed only a whisper of concern

More from Merriam-Webster on whisper

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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