whistling 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of whistlingnext
as in shrill
having a high musical pitch or range the whistling sound of missiles as they sped toward their targets

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

whistling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of whistle
as in wheezing

Related Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for whistling
  1. shrill
  2. wheezing
  3. hissing
  4. whooshing
  5. swooshing
Adjective
  • Amid the rumblings of construction at nearby David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, the sound of a shrill whistle and chopping feet at the nearby Murfin Family Practice Fields signaled one thing.
    — Christian Marshall, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026
  • That trademark indecision of summer takes root in her words and spreads through the music until her vocals diverge in the chorus, peeling like a clementine’s skin as one shrill line scales upward and the other remains monotone.
    — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 21 July 2026
Definition of shrill
Verb
  • Lung inflammation makes breathing tougher and coughing and wheezing more frequent.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Her baby lies still in her arms, his breathing faintly wheezing.
    — Fatma Tanis, NPR, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of wheezing
Verb
  • And in 2022, Japanese researchers turned a Madagascar hissing cockroach into a cyborg for search-and-rescue missions using a similar, though more sophisticated, approach.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 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, New Atlas, 18 July 2026
Definition of hissing
Verb
  • Windows frame mountain views, opening onto terraces that overlook skiers whooshing down the slopes.
    — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 17 June 2026
  • The motionless people drooling on the sidewalk, the Waymos whooshing around with no one inside.
    — Sam Kriss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Definition of whooshing
Verb
  • The same crystalline waters swooshing the pebbled coast of San Lucas Island were once murked by the crimson red of blood.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 24 July 2026
  • Dollop whipped cream over panna cotta and spread, swooshing decoratively as desired.
    — Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Definition of swooshing
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.

Browse Nearby Words

whistle-stops
whistling
whit
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Cite this Entry

“Whistling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whistling. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on whistling

Nglish: Translation of whistling for Spanish Speakers

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