What are the definitions of “hush up”?
Learn how to use these expressions through these examples
- 1Try to keep something bad from becoming widely known.
scandal, but it still got into the The company tried to HUSH UP the newspapers.
What’s the most common meaning of the phrasal verb “hush up”?
The most common meaning of the phrasal verb hush up is to try to keep something bad or embarrassing from becoming widely known. It is often used when someone wants to hide a secret, a mistake, or a scandal.
What are the different verb forms of “hush up”?
| Root Verb | hush up |
| Third Person Singular Present | hushes up |
| Present Participle | hushing up |
| Simple Past | hushed up |
| Past Participle | hushed up |
Example
They tried to hush up the incident, but the news spread quickly.
Example
She hushes up her mistakes to avoid getting into trouble.
Example
The politician is hushing up the scandal to protect his reputation.
Example
The company hushed up the accident to avoid bad publicity.
Example
The truth about the incident was hushed up for years.
What kind of phrasal verb is “hush up”?
Notes from a Native English Speaker
What is a transitive and intransitive verb? - A transitive verb always has an object after it. (Example: Sam bought a car.) - An intransitive verb never has an object.(Example: She laughed loudly.)
Transitive verb
“hush up” is a transitive phrasal verb because it requires a direct object to complete its meaning. The direct object specifies what is being removed, obtained, or eliminated.
Example
They hushed up the scandal.
Example
She hushed the scandal up to protect her reputation.
Notes from a Native English Speaker
What is a separable and inseparable phrasal verb? - A “separable phrasal verb” can be separated with an object between the verb and particle. - An “inseparable phrasal verb” cannot be separated by an object.
Inseparable
“hush up” is an inseparable phrasal verb. This means that you can’t place an object between the verb and the particle, otherwise, it changes the meaning of the phrasal verb.
Example
They hushed up the scandal.
Example
She hushed the scandal up to protect her reputation.
What are common phrases and expressions that include the phrasal verb “hush up”?
Hush up a secret
To keep a secret hidden or prevent it from being revealed.
Example
She tried to hush up the secret, but her friend accidentally told everyone.
Hush up a mistake
To hide a mistake or prevent others from finding out about it.
Example
He hushed up his mistake by fixing it before anyone noticed.
Hush up a scandal
To prevent a scandal from becoming public knowledge.
Example
The company hushed up the scandal to avoid damaging their reputation.
Good things to know
Does “hush up” have an informal or formal tone?
Hush up is generally considered informal and is more commonly used in casual conversations. In more formal settings, it is better to use synonyms like 'conceal' or 'suppress'.
