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)
Synonyms of whisper

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

Synonyms of whisper

Relevance

Verb

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Their brother turned to whisper something to his lawyer as the judge spoke. — Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026 In video footage obtained by TMZ, the influencer was seen whispering into the ear of the football star and father of three as well as putting her hand on his back. — Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Noun
There’s an initial burst of salt and crunch, then a rolling thunder of jerk spice, spiked with the vibrant, herbal freshness of Caribbean green seasoning and a whisper of cinnamon and nutmeg. — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026 Chiefly, engineers will need to design lightweight compressors that can capture and pressurize the whisper-thin Martian air. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for whisper

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

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

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

Phrases Containing whisper

Browse Nearby Words

whisp
whisper
whisperer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whisper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whisper. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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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

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about whisper

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