# read lips

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/read-lips
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To lipread.

## Examples

- She can read lips, so you do not need to shout.
- The music at the party was so loud that I had to read lips to understand what my friend was saying.
- Even in the silence of the crowded room, the detective watched the suspect closely, attempting to read lips to decipher the secret conversation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.