mum
11
7.5
Not speaking when people expect you to
- adjective
- /mʌm/
- Informal
:
callado
- The officials were mum during the press conference, providing no answers to the pressing questions.
Examples
-
"I have black and Latino friends, and I even know some young people, but they have all been pretty mum about the whole thing."
Blog text (10) -
When asked about the rumors, she remained mum, not wanting to add fuel to the fire.
-
He was mum about his plans for the weekend, leaving everyone curious.
Synonyms
silent
vsmum
447
1.0
Not speaking when people expect an answer
is silence especially in situations where speaking is expected
unspeaking
vsmum
1
5.1
Not speaking, staying silent for any reason
focuses on silence that is mainly a refusal rather than inability
Antonyms
Compounds
6.8
Parents who give money to their adult children to pay for big costs like a house or university
How Silent
Surface Forms
mum positive
Etymology
Mum as an adjective comes from the same quiet 'mmm' sound people use when they will not speak, so if someone stays mum, they are 'silent' when you expect them to talk.