whispering
/ˈ(h)wɪspəɹɪŋ/adjective, noun, verb
whispering is spelled W-H-I-S-P-E-R-I-N-G: 10 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 2.6 times per million words in written English, the 16,896th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, whispering means “That whispers” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in whispering?
| Letters | 10: W-H-I-S-P-E-R-I-N-G |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 2.6 times per million words; the 16,896th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is whispering?
Whispering appears 2.6 times per million words in written English, the 16,896th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce whispering?
- /ˈ(h)wɪspəɹɪŋ/
Whispering has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-whispering.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of whispering
- more whispering comparative
- most whispering superlative
- whisperings plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does whispering mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
That whispers.
- 2
Associated with whispers.
noun
- 1
Something that is whispered; gossip; a rumor.
- 2
The sound of whispers;
- 3
The projection of intention and influence caused by sending thoughts or desires outward through softly-spoken words or subtle mental or energetic means.
verb
- 1
present participle and gerund of whisper
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Whispering in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense Something that is whispered:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | chuchotement |
| German | Geflüster |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.