under one's breath
Quietly, almost inaudibly
Under one's breath describes speech so quiet it's barely audible—muttered, whispered, or mumbled so others can't quite hear: She cursed under her breath as she walked away.
The phrase typically suggests words not meant to be overheard, often complaints, insults, or private reactions: He repeated the answer under his breath to memorize it.
- mumbleSpeak softly, indistinctly
- mutterSpeak low and indistinctly
- murmurSoft, indistinct continuous sound
- sotto voceIn an undertone
- hushed tonesSoft, subdued speech
whisper · barely audible · quiet · low voice · undertone · aside · privacy · passive-aggressiveness · secrecy · soft · embarrassment · biting tongue · low · frustration · concealment · sarcasm · discretion · hush
under one's breathaloud
In spoken form
out loud · loudly · booming · thunderously · at full blast
under one's breathpublicly
In open view
openly · in public · on the record · proclaiming · broadcasting
under, breath, breathe, breathed, breathing, breather, breathless, breathlessly, breathlessness