stage whisper

noun

1. a loud whisper on a stage, meant to be heard by the audience.
2. any whisper loud enough to be overheard.

stage whisper

noun

1. a loud whisper from one actor to another onstage intended to be heard by the audience
2. any loud whisper that is intended to be overheard

Word History and Origins

Origin of stage whisper¹

First recorded in 1860–65

Idioms and Phrases

A whisper loud enough to be overheard, as in Our three-year-old behaved beautifully at the ceremony, but then he asked in a stage whisper, “Why does that lady have blue hair?” This expression alludes to an actor's whisper on stage, which is meant to be heard by the audience. [Mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

One of the worst things that any litigant can do when there’s a jury in the box is speaking out loudly – not just even a stage whisper but actually speaking out and talking directly to the judge.

From Salon

In a stage whisper, Gerwig says, “Because we’re all going to die.”

From Los Angeles Times

And she said” — his voice dropped to a stage whisper — “‘He’s going to be very big.’”

From New York Times

A Republican official in a “deep-red county,” he recounts, his voice dropping to a stage whisper, told him, “You have no idea how many Republicans are going to quietly vote for you.”

From New York Times

When I asked her about it, at first, she leaned over in a stage whisper: “Women are better than men,” she said.

From Washington Post