whisper

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈhwɪspər/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈhwɪspɚ, ˈwɪspɚ/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(hwis′pər, wis′pər)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
whis•per /ˈhwɪspɚ, ˈwɪspɚ/USA pronunciation   v. 
  1. to speak or say with soft, quiet, hushed sounds, esp. with little or no vibration of the vocal cords: [no object]He whispered softly in her ear.[~ + object]She whispered a secret to me.[used with quotations]"Quiet, someone will hear us!'' she whispered.
  2. [no object] to make a soft, low, quiet, rustling sound.

n. [countable]
  1. an act or instance of whispering:They spoke in whispers.
  2. a whispered word or remark.
  3. a rumor:a whisper of scandal.
  4. a soft, low, quiet, rustling sound:the whisper of the wind.
whis•per•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
whis•per  (hwis′pər, wis′pər),USA pronunciation v.i. 
  1. to speak with soft, hushed sounds, using the breath, lips, etc., but with no vibration of the vocal cords.
  2. Phoneticsto 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.

v.t. 
  1. to utter with soft, low sounds, using the breath, lips, etc.:He whispered endearments to her.
  2. Phoneticsto 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.

n. 
  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.
  • bef. 950; Middle English whisperen (verb, verbal), Old English hwisprian; cognate with German wispern; akin to Old Norse hviskra to whisper, hvīsla to whistle. See whine

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
whisper /ˈwɪspə/ vb
  1. to speak or utter (something) in a soft hushed tone, esp without vibration of the vocal cords
  2. (intransitive) to speak secretly or furtively, as in promoting intrigue, gossip, etc
  3. (intransitive) (of leaves, trees, etc) to make a low soft rustling sound
  4. (transitive) to utter or suggest secretly or privately: to whisper treason
 n
  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
Etymology: Old English hwisprian; related to Old Norse hvīskra, Old High German hwispalōn, Dutch wispern
'whisper' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
aloud - bill - breath - breathe - lip - low - Mizoguchi - stage whisper - subdued - susurrate - buzz - in - loud - round - timorous - tittle-tattle - whispered - whisperer - whispering - whisperous - whispery - whistle - shout - sink - still - susurrant - susurration - susurrus
Collocations: her voice [dropped, lowered] to a whisper, voices [held, strained] in hushed whispers, (was) [said, uttered, passed on] in whispers, more...

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