hiss 1 of 2

noun

Definition of hissnext
1
as in whistle
a sound similar to the speech sound \s\ stretched out the hiss of air escaping from a balloon

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in snort
a vocal sound made to express scorn or disapproval there was a chorus of boos and hisses from the fans when the umpire called the runner out

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hiss

2 of 2

verb

ˈhis How to pronounce hiss (audio)
as in to bubble
to make a sound like that of stretching out the speech sound \s\ the frightened kitten hissed at us when we tried to pick it up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hiss
Noun
Spray paint hisses and music envelops Amsterdam Avenue as Knicks colors cover the sidewalk. — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 13 June 2026 Apple's implementation is natural and consistent, without the hiss introduced by Bose and Sony. — Christian De Looper, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 2026
Verb
Wynn said the alligator started to get agitated and even opened its mouth and hissed at her. — Steven Yablonski, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026 The complete assembly weighs just enough for the Madagascar hissing cockroach, a species favored for cyborg research because of its large size, robustness, and wingless body, to carry without significantly impairing its movement. — New Atlas, 18 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for hiss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hiss
  1. whistle
  2. snort
  3. bubble
  4. sneer
  5. fizzle
  6. smirk
  7. swish
  8. boo
Noun
  • After the final whistle, highlights of Messi’s career was shown in the night sky via a drone show.
    — Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Obscenities, the referee’s whistle, and the thud of boots into balls—and sometimes shins—easily carry across these desolate fields.
    — Vanda Mayer, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of whistle
Noun
  • The class had been quiet after the camp text, but now there was at least one snort.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
  • The Rodents of Unusual Size that attack Westley in a swamp work because they are played by small men in rodent suits, rather than coolly conjured from pixels; their deliberate artifice is the thrill, and Reiner provided the voice for their hideous snorts.
    — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
Definition of snort
Verb
  • This satellite time-lapse from Tuesday night to Wednesday night shows thunderstorms bubbling up within Isaias during this intensification period.
    — Kate S. Petersen, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Mahomes’ emotion seemed to bubble over in the second quarter, with CBS cameras catching the quarterback screaming at offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of bubble
Noun
  • Monica Bellucci’s sneer is a thing of wonder, so why have so few directors used it properly?
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The film’s sincerity — the quality critics praised most — was met with a sneer rather than a response.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 6 July 2026
Definition of sneer
Verb
  • Built up as a novel of our current strife, the book fizzles into a sort of boomer bildungsroman.
    — Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • But — like the announcement of the city’s bounce from Olympic contention — the festival fizzled.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of fizzle
Noun
  • Shawn Still explains the smirk in his Fulton County booking photo.
    — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Arnold met her gaze almost instantly across UConn’s five-foot table swarmed with cameras and microphones and returned the smirk.
    — Jake McCreven, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of smirk
Verb
  • Some deer wag more than others, and whitetails will swish more at different times of year—for example, in summer and into early bow season, when pesky bugs hover.
    — Tom Carpenter, Outdoor Life, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Alternatively, slice them crosswise and swish well in a bowl of cold water, then lift them out, leaving the dirt behind in the bowl.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of swish
Noun
  • The Falcons entered Caesars Superdome to a chorus of boos from a crowd some 70,000 strong.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • If that unit doesn’t turn things around quickly, the boos from the crowd will only grow louder.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of boo

Browse Nearby Words

hirsute
hiss
hissed
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Cite this Entry

“Hiss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hiss. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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