whisper

whisper — noun

1. speech produced by pushing air through the mouth without vibrating the vocal cor

1.nounA2
Definition

speech produced by pushing air through the mouth without vibrating the vocal cords, intended to be heard only by someone very close

Example

Ilan lowered his voice to a whisper so the librarian would not hear him.

collocation: lower to a whisper

Tariq and Obi exchanged secrets in a whisper during the morning meeting.

prepositional phrase: in a whisper

Common collocations
  • in a whisper
  • lower to a whisper
  • drop to a whisper
  • speak in a whisper
  • a loud whisper
Synonyms
  • murmur

    a continuous low sound of voices, less focused on secrecy than whisper

  • mutter

    quiet speech that shows annoyance or dissatisfaction, often to oneself

Antonyms
  • shout

    loud, forceful speech

  • yell

    a loud cry, the opposite of a whisper

Grammar Patterns

in a whisper

a whisper

Usage Note

Common in the phrase 'in a whisper' to describe how something is said. 'Lower your voice to a whisper' is a fixed collocation for reducing volume.

Common Mistakes

He told me in whisper.
He told me in a whisper.
'whisper' is a countable noun and needs an article.

2. a gentle, quiet sound, such as the rustling of leaves in a light wind or the sof

2.nounB1
Definition

a gentle, quiet sound, such as the rustling of leaves in a light wind or the soft movement of fabric

Example

The only sound in the forest was the whisper of wind through the pine trees.

pattern: whisper of + wind/sound source

Sayaka listened to the gentle whisper of waves against the wooden boat.

collocation: gentle whisper

Common collocations
  • whisper of wind
  • whisper of leaves
  • gentle whisper
  • soft whisper
Synonyms
  • rustle

    a dry, light sound, especially from paper, leaves, or fabric

  • murmur

    a soft, indistinct sound, often of water or voices at a distance

Antonyms
  • roar

    a loud, deep continuous sound

  • crash

    a sudden loud noise

Grammar Patterns

whisper of + noun

Usage Note

Frequently followed by 'of' and a noun naming the source of the sound: 'the whisper of leaves / rain / fabric / wind'.

3. unconfirmed news or a private hint passed from one person to another, often befo

3.nounB2
Definition

unconfirmed news or a private hint passed from one person to another, often before it becomes public

Example

Ada heard a whisper that the company would close its factory in July.

pattern: a whisper that + clause

Whispers about the election result spread through the newsroom before the official count.

pattern: whispers about + noun

Common collocations
  • whispers that
  • whispers about
  • a whisper of
  • ignore the whispers
  • whispers spread
Synonyms
  • rumour

    a more general term for unverified information; can spread openly, not just in secret

  • gossip

    talk about other people's private lives, often less serious

  • hearsay

    information heard from others that may not be reliable; more formal

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

whispers that + clause

whispers about + noun

Usage Note

Often used in the plural ('whispers') to suggest multiple people spreading information. Stronger than 'rumour' in suggesting the information is passed secretly rather than openly discussed.

Common Mistakes

I heard whisper that the school is closing.
I heard a whisper that the school is closing.
'whisper' as a count noun needs an article even in this figurative sense.

whisper — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

These four verbs describe different kinds of quiet speech. 'Whisper' specifically means using breath without the vocal cords to avoid being overheard — it's the only one that implies secrecy. 'Murmur' describes a soft, continuous low sound that can come from a person or from nature (a murmuring stream); it has a gentle, pleasant tone. 'Mutter' is quieter than murmur but shows irritation or dissatisfaction; people mutter complaints under their breath. 'Mumble' means speaking with the mouth partly closed so the words are unclear, often from shyness or lack of confidence. For example: 'She whispered the password to her friend' (secret). 'He murmured a sleepy goodnight' (soft and warm). 'The old man muttered something about the noise' (annoyed). 'The student mumbled his answer because he was nervous' (unclear).

whisper ↗murmur ↗mutter ↗mumble ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in a whisper
  • lower your voice to a whisper
  • whisper in someone's ear
  • whisper behind someone's back
  • whisper campaign

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishGermanicEnglish

The word 'whisper' comes from Old English 'hwisprian', meaning to murmur or speak softly. It belongs to a family of Germanic words that imitate soft, sibilant sounds, including Old Norse 'hviskra' and German 'wispern'. The word itself is onomatopoeic: the 'whis-' sound mimics the breathy quality of the action it describes. The general sense of 'to speak very softly' has remained stable since the Old English period, while the figurative meanings (spreading rumours, making soft sounds) developed later, around the 16th century.