they would shush

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "they would shush" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing a situation where someone is being quieted or hushed, often in a playful or informal context. Example: "Whenever the children got too loud, they would shush each other to keep the noise down."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Immediately, they would shush.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

When Ramadan first started, I was excited to do it on my own: now my siblings wouldn't hog the leftover lentil soup that I so coveted during suhoor, nor would they jabber so much during suhoor that my dad would shush us all ("Do you not realize it's 4 00 am and the babies are sleeping? I don't want to have to put them back to bed").

Huffington Post

Every once in a while someone would start an angry chant but people would shush them.

The Guardian

"What was extraordinary was how people would shush for quiet whenever there were new announcements over the P.A. system".

The New York Times

"My five-year-old daughter would shush me and try to hide whenever she saw a soldier.

The Guardian

Even if you got inside, the librarians would shush you, carping about how the "young fry" read nothing but "the trashy": Scott, Cooper, and Dickens (one century's garbage being, as ever, another century's Great Books).

The New Yorker

Meanwhile, she'd shushed him every time he'd said anything remotely off-color, as if anyone were paying attention, as if it even mattered.

The New Yorker

You wouldn't shush someone as you skimmed the Do's and Don't in Glamour just as you wouldn't shush someone while using the iPad.

TechCrunch

They would.

The New York Times - Books

They said they would.

The New York Times

She told him to shush it or they'd murder him for thinking such a thing, and anyhow they had to hurry home to start washing and ironing and packing his things.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "they would shush" to depict a recurring action in the past, emphasizing a habitual response to noise or disturbance. This construction adds a touch of nostalgia or recollection to your narrative.

Common error

Avoid using "they would shush" to describe a one-time event in the past. 'Would' implies a repeated or habitual action. For a single instance, use "they shushed" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they would shush" functions as a verbal phrase indicating a repeated action in the past. Ludwig confirms its correctness and usability. It describes a habitual response of quieting someone or a group of people.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

90%

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Academia

1%

Science

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "they would shush" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to describe a recurring action of quieting someone in the past. As Ludwig highlights, this phrase is suitable for various contexts, particularly in news and media. The expression indicates that the subject of sentence habitually or frequently hushed another person or people. While alternatives like "they shushed" exist, "they would shush" specifically conveys a repeated action. Remember that "would" implies repeated past actions and be careful using it to describe a single event.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they'd hush

A simple and direct way to tell someone to be quiet, often used with children.

they'd silence

Focuses on the act of making someone silent, often implying authority or force.

they'd quiet down

Emphasizes a reduction in noise level, suggesting a more gradual or gentle approach.

they would quieten

British English variant, meaning to make or become quieter.

they'd tell to be quiet

A more direct and explicit instruction to cease making noise.

they'd ask for silence

A polite request for quiet, indicating a need for attentiveness or calm.

they'd calm

Suggests a broader effort to soothe or pacify, not just reduce noise.

they'd stifle

Implies suppressing or restraining something, like a laugh or a comment.

they'd mute

A modern term suggesting the digital silencing of someone.

they'd suppress

Indicates forcefully preventing someone from speaking or expressing themselves.

FAQs

How can I use "they would shush" in a sentence?

Use "they would shush" to describe a repeated action in the past, such as: "Whenever someone started to talk during the movie, "they would shush" them."

What's a more formal way to say "they would shush"?

In a more formal context, you could say "they would request silence" or "they would ask for quiet" instead of "they would shush".

Is "they would shush" grammatically correct?

Yes, "they would shush" is grammatically correct when used to describe a habitual or repeated action in the past. The word "would" indicates a repeated past action.

What is the difference between "they shushed" and "they would shush"?

"They shushed" refers to a single instance of quieting someone, while "they would shush" indicates a repeated or habitual action in the past. For example, "They shushed him during the performance" versus "Every time he spoke, "they would shush" him".