whisper

[ hwis-per, wis-per ]

verb (used without object)

1. to speak with soft, hushed sounds, using the breath, lips, etc., but with no vibration of the vocal cords.
2. Phonetics. to produce utterance substituting breath for phonation.
3. to talk softly and privately (often implying gossip, slander, plotting, or the like):

   The king knew that the courtiers were whispering.

4. (of trees, water, breezes, etc.) to make a soft, rustling sound like that of whispering.

verb (used with object)

1. to utter with soft, low sounds, using the breath, lips, etc.:

   He whispered endearments to her.

2. Phonetics. to utter (speech sounds) substituting breath for phonation.
3. to say or tell in a whisper; tell privately.
4. to speak to or tell (a person) in a whisper or privately.

noun

1. the mode of utterance, or the voice, of a person who whispers:

   to speak in a whisper.

2. a word or remark uttered by whispering.
3. a rumor or insinuation:

   Whispers circulated about the affair.

4. a soft, rustling sound like a whisper:

   the whisper of leaves in the wind.

whisper

/ ˈwɪspə /

verb

1. to speak or utter (something) in a soft hushed tone, esp without vibration of the vocal cords
2. intr to speak secretly or furtively, as in promoting intrigue, gossip, etc
3. intr (of leaves, trees, etc) to make a low soft rustling sound
4. tr to utter or suggest secretly or privately

   to whisper treason

noun

1. a low soft voice

   to speak in a whisper

2. something uttered in such a voice
3. a low soft rustling sound
4. a trace or suspicion
5. informal.
   a rumour or secret

Word History and Origins

Origin of whisper¹

First recorded before 950; Middle English whisperen (verb), Old English hwisprian; akin to German wispern, Old Norse hviskra, hvīsla “to whistle”; whine

Word History and Origins

Origin of whisper¹

Old English hwisprian; related to Old Norse hvīskra, Old High German hwispalōn, Dutch wispern

Idioms and Phrases

see stage whisper .

Example Sentences

We will never know how Harris would have fared in an open Democratic primary campaign, but as the whisper campaign around Biden began to expand, party donors cast loving glances toward California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, among others.

From Salon

That’s what academic researchers concluded in a recently published analysis of Whisper, an AI-powered speech-to-text tool developed by OpenAI, which can be used to transcribe medical discussions or jailhouse conversations monitored by correction officials.

From Los Angeles Times

Updates to Whisper in late 2023 improved its performance, the researchers said, but the updated Whisper “still regularly and reproducibly hallucinated.”

From Los Angeles Times

Changing hands over the years means real estate agents coming in and out throughout the film, and by the time the credits roll, you half expect the logo for a home insurance company to come up, because that’s what this whisper of a film feels like: a commercial for homeowners insurance.

From Los Angeles Times

Rife with backroom skullduggery among the conniving cardinals, as well as a Pakula-esque penchant for stairwell whisper campaigns among the power brokers, “Conclave” is less of a searching philosophy piece than it is a scandalously twisty papal potboiler.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• buzz
• confide
• hiss
• mumble
• murmur
• mutter
• sigh