Basic Details
Word: Whispered
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Spoke very softly, using mostly breath instead of the full voice, so that only someone close by could hear. It is the past tense of whisper.
Synonyms: murmured, breathed
Antonyms: shouted, yelled
How to Spell Whispered
Syllables: whis - pered
Tricky part: It begins with wh, not w. The stress falls on whis, so the r is not doubled before ed, just as in answered and offered.
Watch out for: wispered, whisperred, whispred
Memory tip: Treat the h as the puff of air you let out when you whisper: wh-isper. A whisper is mostly breath, and so is that h.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Ma whispered so that she would not wake the baby.
Example 2: The boys whispered in the dark long after lights out at the Mahabaleshwar camp.
Example 3: Someone whispered my name from behind the curtain.
Fun Fact
In a true whisper the vocal folds do not vibrate. The sound comes from breath rushing past them, which is why a whisper has no clear musical note.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
During the long bus ride to Shimla, my cousin wispered a ghost story so softly that only the two of us could hear how it ended.
a) ended
b) cousin
c) wispered
d) softly
Show answer
c) wispered. The word needs wh at the front, like whistle and whale; the other three are spelt correctly.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word whispered as used in the sentence:
The children whispered as they tiptoed past the sleeping guard.
a) shouted
b) murmured
c) mumbled
d) hurried
Show answer
a) shouted. Murmured and mumbled are close to whispered; only shouted is its loud opposite.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
The old man perhdsiwe a secret to the parrot in the cage.
a) whistled
b) shivered
c) whispered
d) whimpered
Show answer
c) whispered. Count the letters: nine, with one p and no m, t or v, so only whispered can be made.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Why might a student have whispered in the library?
a) to practise a loud speech
b) to annoy the librarian
c) to be heard across the hall
d) to avoid disturbing others
Show answer
d) to avoid disturbing others
2. Which of these is most often whispered?
a) a secret
b) a cheer at a match
c) a speech in assembly
d) a station announcement
Show answer
a) a secret
