hush up: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal
Quick answer
What does “hush up” mean?
To stop talking or making noise.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To stop talking or making noise; to make someone be quiet; to suppress or conceal information.
Primarily used as a phrasal verb meaning to conceal or suppress information, especially something scandalous or embarrassing, to prevent it from becoming public knowledge. Can also be used as a direct imperative to command silence.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The meaning and usage are virtually identical. Minor differences in typical surrounding vocabulary.
Connotations
Equally strong connotations of cover-up and secrecy in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more common in British news/media contexts discussing scandals, but used freely in both.
Grammar
How to Use “hush up” in a Sentence
[Subject] hush up [Object][Subject] hush [Object] upHush up! (imperative)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hush up” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The government was accused of trying to hush up the minister's misconduct.
- He was paid a substantial sum to hush up the story about the celebrity's arrest.
American English
- The company hushed up the safety violations to keep its contract.
- She refused to hush up about the discrimination she witnessed.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"The board tried to hush up the financial irregularities to avoid a stock market panic."
Academic
Rare in formal academic writing; appears in historical/political analysis, e.g., "The administration's efforts to hush up the report were ultimately unsuccessful."
Everyday
"They gave him a payoff to hush up the story about the accident."
Technical
Not typically used in technical contexts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hush up”
- Using it transitively without 'up' (Incorrect: 'They hushed the scandal.' Correct: 'They hushed up the scandal.'). Confusing it with 'shut up' (which is a ruder command for silence without the concealment meaning).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is informal. In formal writing, synonyms like 'suppress', 'conceal', or 'cover up' are preferred.
No, 'hush-up' can be used as a noun (e.g., 'a government hush-up'), but it is less common than the phrasal verb form.
They are very similar. 'Hush up' emphasises silencing discussion or knowledge, often through secrecy. 'Cover up' emphasises active steps to hide evidence or create a false appearance. They are often interchangeable.
Yes, as a command for silence, but 'Hush!' or 'Be quiet!' are more common. 'Hush up!' can sound slightly old-fashioned or regional.
To stop talking or making noise.
Hush up: in British English it is pronounced /ˌhʌʃ ˈʌp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌhʌʃ ˈʌp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Sweep it under the rug/carpet (similar meaning of concealment)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a librarian saying 'HUSH!' and then putting her finger to her lips 'UP' to her mouth. She is 'hushing up' the noise. Now imagine a government official doing the same gesture to 'hush up' a scandal.
Conceptual Metaphor
INFORMATION IS SOUND / SCANDAL IS NOISE. Suppressing information is metaphorically equivalent to making a loud, disturbing noise quiet.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence correctly uses 'hush up' with its primary meaning?