Bleeped: meaning, definitions and examples

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bleeped

[ bliːpt ]

Verb

^{Context #1 | Verb}

sound censorship

Bleeped refers to the action of censoring or muffling out a sound, especially profanity or inappropriate content, by using a beep sound. It is commonly used in television and radio broadcasts to maintain standards of decency. When a piece of audio is bleeped, the offensive words are either completely removed or replaced with a sound, often a beep, to obscure what was said. This practice helps to keep content suitable for broader audiences, especially minors.

Synonyms

censored, masked, muted.

Examples of usage

The comedian's joke was bleeped out during the live show.
Many movies have bleeped versions for television broadcasts.
She was surprised when her favorite song was bleeped on the radio.
The interview was bleeped to avoid any legal issues.
He laughed when he heard the bleeped curse word.

Translations

Translations of the word "bleeped" in other languages:

🇵🇹 silenciado

🇮🇳 बंद करना

🇩🇪 verpixelt

🇮🇩 diredam

🇺🇦 затемнений

🇵🇱 wyciszony

🇯🇵 音を消した

🇫🇷 bipé

🇪🇸 silenciado

🇹🇷 susturulmuş

🇰🇷 음소거된

🇸🇦 مكتوم

🇨🇿 ztišený

🇸🇰 stlmený

🇨🇳 消音的

🇸🇮 utišan

🇮🇸 þöggun

🇰🇿 үнсіздендірілген

🇬🇪 ხმაურის შემცირებული

🇦🇿 söndürülmüş

🇲🇽 silenciado

Etymology

The term 'bleep' is derived from the sound made by a censoring mechanism that interrupts auditory content. The first known use of 'bleep' in this context dates back to the early days of radio broadcasting in the 1930s. Initially, it referred specifically to the sound emitted by electronic devices to signal a warning or indicate that something has been censored. Over time, this term evolved into a verb form, 'bleeped', as media outlets began adopting stricter content guidelines for public broadcasts. This practice accelerated with the advent of television in the 1950s and '60s, where bleeping became a common technique to obscure offensive language. With the rise of the internet, bleeping is now also employed in video content, online streaming, and various multimedia platforms, reflecting ongoing societal concerns about language, decency standards, and audience sensitivity.