What does "whisper" mean?
The act of speaking in a quiet voice, especially without vibration of the vocal cords.
Whisper
/ˈ(h)wɪspə/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of speaking in a quiet voice, especially without vibration of the vocal cords.
- Grammar: whisper is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: advice, alert, alerting, articulate.
- Useful contrasts: booming, whoops, yaup.
- Usage evidence: A whisper ran through the crowd.
How to use "whisper"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "whisper" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "whisper" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "whisper" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "whisper" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "whisper" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "advice" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "whisper", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of speaking in a quiet voice, especially without vibration of the vocal cords.
"I spoke in a near whisper."
- 2 speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords wordnet
- 3 A rumor. plural-normally
"There are whispers of rebellion all around."
- 4 a light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind wordnet
- 5 A faint trace or hint (of something). figuratively
"The soup had just a whisper of basil."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A low rustling sound, like that of the wind in leaves.
- 7 A private message to an individual in a chat room. Internet
"The invisibility of private interactions in the form of whispers resolved an ethical concern in the research but reduced our ability to gauge the volume of interaction […]"
Verb
- 1 To speak softly or under one's breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter words without sonant breath; to talk without that vibration of the vocal cords which gives sonorous, or vocal, sound. intransitive
"I can hear them whisper as we pass by It's a bad sign, bad sign"
- 2 speak softly; in a low voice wordnet
- 3 To say (something) softly or under one's breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter (something) without sonant breath, without that vibration of the vocal cords which gives sonorous, or vocal, sound. transitive
"Whether he whispered sweet nothings to her in Stengelese is not known, but he did call her "the best catch I ever made in my career.""
- 4 To mention privately and confidentially, or in a whisper. transitive
"They might buzz and whisper it one to another."
- 5 To make a low, sibilant sound. intransitive
"the hollow, whispering breeze"
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 To speak with suspicion or timorous caution; to converse in whispers, as in secret plotting. intransitive
"All that hate me whisper together against me."
- 7 To address in a whisper, or low voice. obsolete, transitive
"and whisper one another in the ear"
- 8 To prompt secretly or cautiously; to inform privately. obsolete, transitive
"He came to whisper Wolsey."
- 9 To send a private message to an individual in a chat room. Internet
- 10 To exercise skill in taming or training a creature.
- 11 To project using telepathy.
Example
"A whisper ran through the crowd."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "whisper"?
Common synonyms include: advice, alert, alerting, articulate, aspirate, aspiration.
How do you use "whisper" in a sentence?
A whisper ran through the crowd.
How do you pronounce "whisper"?
Pronounced /ˈ(h)wɪspə/.
Etymology
From Middle English whisperen, from Old English hwisprian (“to mutter, murmur, whisper”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwisprōn, from Proto-Germanic *hwisprōną (“to hiss, whistle, whisper”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱweys-, *ḱwey- (“to hiss, whistle, whisper”). Cognate with Dutch wisperen (“to whisper”), German wispern (“to mumble, whisper”). Related also to Danish hviske (“to whisper”), Icelandic hvískra (“to whisper”), Norwegian Bokmål hviske, kviskre (“to whisper”), Norwegian Nynorsk kviskre, kviskra (“to whisper”), Swedish viska (“to whisper”). More at English whistle.