stage whispered
Audibly feigned secrecy
Stage whispered is the past tense of stage whisper—to speak in a loud whisper intended to be heard by others nearby, not just the person addressed.
The term comes from theater, where actors whisper loudly enough for the audience to hear while pretending to speak privately.
In everyday use, it often implies theatrical effect or deliberate indiscretion: She stage whispered to her friend, "Is that him?"
- asideBrief theatrical digression
- secretConcealed information
- in confidenceShared with expected secrecy
- murmurSoft, indistinct continuous sound
- earAuditory organ
hinted · quiet · sotto voce · under one's breath · audible · insinuation · conspicuous · confidential · low · subtle · subtext · coded language · said · double entendre · enunciation · spoke · overheard · soliloquy