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hush up

Stop talking; be quiet.

hʌʃ ʌpCurrent214 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🗺️ Regional & Other
3 definitions
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Definitions

#1·Apr 26, 2026

Stop talking; be quiet. "Hush up" = "shut up" with a less aggressive tone.

"Hush up, the baby's sleeping."
Origin: Standard English with strong Southern usage.
For parents

"hush up" means: Stop talking; be quiet. "Hush up" = "shut up" with a less aggressive tone.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"hush up" means: Stop talking; be quiet. "Hush up" = "shut up" with a less aggressive tone.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.

Cluster: dismissal
Heard in the wild
  • “Hello! That’s why sometimes you gotta tap into that self awareness and hush up lol”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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Show 2 more dictionary-style senses (imported)
#2·May 2, 2026

To become quiet; to cease making sounds.

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#3·May 2, 2026

To keep secret, to prevent from becoming known.

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For specific readers

"hush up" means: Stop talking; be quiet. "Hush up" = "shut up" with a less aggressive tone.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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🗺️About Regional & Other slang

Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.

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