whispering

/ˈwɪspərɪŋ/

/ˈwɪspərɪŋ/

Other forms: whisperings; whisperingly

Whispering is what you do when you speak so softly that you can barely be heard. Most teachers have a rule that there's no whispering allowed while the class is taking a test.

Whispering involves using your breath, rather than your vocal cords, to speak very quietly. You might hear whispering in the quiet section of the library or during a play or movie — it's used for communicating secrets or simply to avoid bothering other people. The word can also be used as an adjective for sounds that resemble a whisper, like the whispering wind through the trees on a breezy day.

Definitions of whispering

1. noun

   speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
   synonyms: susurration, voicelessness, whisper

   types:

   stage whisper

   a loud whisper that can be overheard; on the stage it is heard by the audience but it supposed to be inaudible to the rest of the cast

   type of:

   speaking, speech production

   the utterance of intelligible speech
2. noun

   a light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind
   synonyms: rustle, rustling, whisper

   type of:

   noise

   sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
3. adjective

   making a low continuous indistinct sound
   synonyms: murmuring, susurrant

   soft

   (of sound) relatively low in volume