sibilant

noun

Definition of sibilantnext
as in sibilance

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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 sibilant Spelling Bee Tedious, invidious, devious, conquer, identify, magnify, sibilant, uranium. — John McPhee, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025 What’s the rule on forming a singular possessive of a name ending with a sibilant? — Daniel Foster, National Review, 19 Sep. 2024 The superb soundtrack deepens that push-pull, in the sibilant whoosh of ocean waves, the gentle percussion of rain against a city window, the incessant murmur of an airport terminal. — Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Apr. 2023 The insectivorous choruses actually synchronize their sibilant symphonies in a deafening, but gorgeous, hum. — Ross Kenneth Urken, Scientific American, 14 June 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sibilant
  1. sibilance
  2. whistle
Noun
  • The album’s official versions smooth out some of the buzzy sibilance of the bootlegs, but Hold Onto Me Infinity accommodates lots of tasteful clangs and wubs.
    — H.D. Angel, Pitchfork, 2 June 2026
  • While Callahan’s baritone vocals are good and hefty, there’s a bit of undue sibilance in his voice.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026
Definition of sibilance
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

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sibilant
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on sibilant

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sibilant

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