whistle in the dark

verb

To make a show of bravery despite one's fears; to put on a brave face.

Similar
whistle past the graveyardtalk through one's hattalk out one's ass
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Meanings

verbwhistle in the dark (third-person singular simple present whistles in the dark, present participle whistling in the dark, simple past and past participle whistled in the dark)

present singular third person whistles in the dark · participle present whistling in the dark · participle past whistled in the dark · past whistled in the dark

  1. colloquialTo make a show of bravery despite one's fears; to put on a brave face.

    Those who seriously believe ‘There'll always be an England’ are whistling in the dark.

    2011, Norman Davies, Vanished Kingdoms, Penguin, published 2012, page 6

    Synonyms: whistle past the graveyard

  2. USidiomaticTo speak of something despite having little knowledge of it.

    Synonyms: talk through one's hat, talk out one's ass

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo make a show of bravery despite one's fears; to put on a brave face.

Similar
whistle past the graveyard

verbTo speak of something despite having little knowledge of it.

Similar
talk through one's hattalk out one's ass
Also see
talk out of one's ass

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 壮胆, 乱猜
  • 壮胆 (zhuàngdǎn)make a show of bravery
  • 乱猜speak without knowledge
Finnish vislailla, puhua läpiä päähänsä
  • vislaillamake a show of bravery
  • puhua läpiä päähänsäspeak without knowledge
German pfeifen im Walde, wie der Blinde von der Farbe reden
  • pfeifen im Waldemake a show of bravery
  • wie der Blinde von der Farbe redenspeak without knowledge
Polish robić dobrą minę do złej gry, zrobić dobrą minę do złej gry
  • robić dobrą minę do złej grymake a show of bravery
  • zrobić dobrą minę do złej grymake a show of bravery
  • pleść, co ślina na język przyniesiespeak without knowledge
Russian бодри́ться, напускать на себя́ споко́йствие
  • бодри́ться (bodrítʹsja)make a show of bravery
  • напускать на себя́ споко́йствие (napuskatʹ na sebjá spokójstvije)make a show of bravery
  • говори́ть не зна́я ничего́ то́лком (govorítʹ ne znája ničevó tólkom)speak without knowledge
Spanish poner buena cara, mojonear
  • poner buena caramake a show of bravery
  • mojonearspeak without knowledge
Cite this entry
APA

whistle in the dark. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whistle%20in%20the%20dark

MLA

“whistle in the dark.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whistle%20in%20the%20dark. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “whistle in the dark,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whistle%20in%20the%20dark.

Source: whistle in the dark on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.