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.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
And what better well to whisper to than a man who was on the threshold of death? Josh Wigler, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Apr. 2024 Over the years, they have been whispered, bragged and joked about. Julia Jacobs, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2024 Avoid prints like the plague In Beckham’s world, someone’s everyday clothes should whisper as opposed to shout. Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2024 Between kisses and whispering in each other’s ears, the two fully participated in the Wimbledon play-by-play, rooting for their favorite players. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 14 Apr. 2024 Sometimes the desert holds its secrets close, whispering them only to those who carefully listen. Alice Li, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2024 One saw news accounts of the raid and heard whispers that a high-profile person might be involved. David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024 In a sweet photo posted on Crown Prince Hussein's Instagram page, he's seen whispering behind his hand to his then-fiancée, saying something that caused Princess Rajwa to smile. Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024 Somebody in Sin City must’ve whispered his name three times because Beetlejuice manifested on the Colosseum stage at Caesars Palace Tuesday afternoon. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2024
Noun
Amid all the whispers and innuendo that Ohtani was the perpetrator, he has finally been given an official title that cleanses the optics and polishes the image. Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024 The whispers and allegations were not enough to prevent his superiors from deploying him. Tamara Audi, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024 Whatever the truth of it, Petco Park silenced the whispers. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2024 Presidential whispers began as soon as he was elected, but that bloom began to fade in 2022 when Youngkin campaigned around the country for 15 Republican gubernatorial candidates and only five of them won. Gregory S. Schneider, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024 As the old adage goes, money screams and wealth whispers, and there is absolutely no screaming at The Row, a brand that sells white T-shirts for $550. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 28 Feb. 2024 On a Friday call with reporters, Mr. Biden’s campaign aides did little to hide their frustration with coverage from the political news media and nervous whispers from Democratic allies about polling that shows the president trailing Mr. Trump nationally and in the important battleground states. Nicholas Nehamas, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 So the outside noise stays right there, outside, while inside the team’s circle there are no whispers, there is no doubt. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024 And all the attention had made the whispers about Hoover’s identity harder to ignore. Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024

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 26 Apr. 2024.

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

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