What does sconcing mean?
Sconcing means to silence someone or make them stop speaking. It belongs to the rare verb sconce and has the grammatical form of a present participle, so it can function like an adjective in a sentence or a gerund in a larger clause. The word is chiefly encountered in archaic, literary, or deliberately antiquarian writing rather than ordinary modern conversation. Its force can be forceful: an action or command may sconce a person by leaving them speechless. Although the wording can also suggest putting out a light through the noun sconce, that resemblance is not the established meaning of the verb. Sconcing is worth knowing chiefly as a vivid piece of older English vocabulary, encountered in historical prose, dramatic dialogue, or discussions of obsolete expressions. In current usage, silence or quieten would normally be clearer and more familiar substitutes.
verbTo silence or shut up, especially a person. In modern use, it is chiefly literary or archaic.
- To silence or stop someone from speaking.
"Her quiet command sconced the entire assembly."
"The king's frown sconced the nervous courtier."
"Her emphatic gesture sconced the meeting at once."
Once used to mean “shut up,” sconcing is now more likely to puzzle a reader than to silence one.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sconcing come from?
Sconcing is the present participle of the rare verb sconce, which has long been recorded in the sense of silencing or shutting someone up. The verb appears in Middle English. Its precise historical origin, and its relationship to the similarly spelled noun denoting a candle bracket, are not sufficiently clear to state with certainty.
Related word forms
How sconcing is actually used
This is a rare, archaic or literary verb rather than a standard form in contemporary speech. Its construction and meaning may sound deliberately old-fashioned.
Easily confused with sconcing
Sconcing is the present participle of the rare verb meaning to silence someone, whereas sconce can also be a noun for a wall-mounted bracket that holds a candle or lamp.