catcall

play

noun cat·call \ -ˌkȯl \

Updated on: 11 Sep 2017

Definition of catcall

1 :a loud or raucous cry made especially to express disapproval (as at a sports event)

Even Winslow, who led the league in catches for the second straight year, was hearing catcalls.
—Rick Reilly

2 :a loud, sexually suggestive call or comment directed at someone publicly (as on the street)

… every single time I go running in a public place without my male running partner, I am the target of catcalls.
—Natalie DeBlasio

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catcall

verb

See catcall defined for English-language learners

See catcall defined for kids

Examples of catcall in a Sentence

The pitcher heard angry catcalls as he walked off the field.
the band's sloppy playing produced only catcalls from the crowd

Recent Examples of catcall from the Web

Opinion by Frank Bruni These are hard days of coarse language -- of tweets and catcalls that appeal to the worst in us, not the best.

— the new york times, NOLA.com, "On Confederate monuments, Mitch Landrieu reminds us eloquence still exists: Opinion," 24 May 2017
CANNES, France (AP) — This year’s Cannes Film Festival has been a sprawling, international referendum on Netflix, with votes registered in catcalls and applause, and some of the biggest names in cinema staking out their positions.

— jake coyle, The Seattle Times, "With catcalls and applause, Cannes debates rise of Netflix," 22 May 2017
DeVos said, reading her prepared text in a measured tone despite continuing waves of boos, catcalls and scattered applause at Bethune-Cookman University.

— Washington Post, "DeVos booed speaking at historically black university," 10 May 2017
Groans, catcalls and even some boos filled the hotel ballroom at times.

— rick maese, The Denver Post, "The DEA warned NFL doctors about drug laws in 2011. It didn’t go well.," 20 Apr. 2017
Sometimes sexism is obvious: a guy hurling a crude catcall from a moving car.

— kaitlin menza, Marie Claire, "What I Wish I Said to the Recruiter Who Shamed Me into a Lower Salary," 8 Mar. 2017
But Mr. Trump still draws his share of catcalls — some subtle, others not.

— mark landler, New York Times, "At Cosseted ‘Winter White House,’ Outside World Intrudes on Trump," 5 Feb. 2017
The catcalls were the loudest in the sixth, when Arizona scored six runs against Jon Niese to put the game out of reach.

— james wagner, New York Times, "Boiling Over, Terry Collins Lights Fire Under Mets After Team Falls to .500," 11 Aug. 2016
And that wasn’t unfounded: while some cards were modest and polite, others were basically catcalls.

— photograph courtesy alan mays, National Geographic, "Saucy ‘Escort Cards’ Were a Way to Flirt in the Victorian Era," 4 Jan. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'catcall.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of catcall

1693

catcall Synonyms

Synonyms

bird [chiefly British], boo, Bronx cheer, hiss, hoot, jeer, raspberry, razz, snort

Antonyms

cheer

Related Words

smirk, sneer, snicker, snigger; gibe (or jibe), put-down, taunt; whistle

Near Antonyms

applause, clapping

CATCALL Defined for English Language Learners

catcall

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noun

Definition of catcall for English Language Learners

: a sound or noise that someone (such as an audience member) makes toward a speaker, performer, athlete, etc., that he or she does not like

CATCALL Defined for Kids

catcall

play

noun cat·call \ ˈkat-ˌkȯl \

Definition of catcall for Students

:a sound like the cry of a cat or a noise expressing disapproval (as at a sports event)

Learn More about catcall

See words that rhyme with catcall Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for catcall Spanish Central: Translation of catcall Nglish: Translation of catcall for Spanish speakers

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Examples of catcall in a Sentence

Recent Examples of catcall from the Web

First Known Use of catcall

catcall Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

CATCALL Defined for English Language Learners

catcall

Definition of catcall for English Language Learners

CATCALL Defined for Kids

catcall

Definition of catcall for Students

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