hic·cup
ˈhi-(ˌ)kəp 
variants
or less commonly hiccough
1
: a spasmodic inhalation with closure of the glottis accompanied by a peculiar sound
2
: an attack of hiccuping
—usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction
3
a
: a slight irregularity, error, or malfunction
a few hiccups in the computer system
b
: a usually minor and short-lived interruption or disruption, or change
a hiccup in the stock market
variants
or less commonly hiccough
hiccuped also hiccupped; hiccuping also hiccupping
: to make a hiccup
also
: to be affected with hiccups
Synonyms
Examples of hiccup in a Sentence
Noun
Our computer problems were caused by a hiccup in the power supply.
The stock market has continued to rise, except for a slight hiccup earlier this month.
Recent Examples on the Web
Hannah Rice, Rolling Stone, 14 Nov. 2023
While the finished design looks absolutely charming, the project wasn’t without hiccups.
—Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 8 Nov. 2023
Electric vehicles are losing their luster as major automakers grapple with waning customer demand and the realization that mass adoption of EVs won’t happen without some hiccups.
—Bypaige Hagy, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2023
Just try not to let the hiccups and disruptions of life get in the way of your enjoying all of the beautiful things around you.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Nov. 2023
One hiccup is that the technology behind the current Alexa tends to be good at different things than the technology behind the new Alexa.
—Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2023
Rusty Bell, the director of the Office of Economic Transformation at the Gillette College Foundation in Wyoming, thinks the administration’s climate push is destined for such hiccups.
—Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2023
But there was a hiccup: lower managerial satisfaction.
—Bygleb Tsipursky, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2023
There have been some hiccups in the crew’s quick ascent.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2023
Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 17 Oct. 2023
Some babies hiccup frequently, even multiple times a day.
—Kimberly Zapata, Parents, 10 Aug. 2023
If your baby starts hiccupping during feeding, wait until the hiccups are gone to continue feeding.5
Treatment
Typical hiccups that last for less than 48 hours are medically termed acute hiccups.
—Jessica Migala, Health, 6 Aug. 2023
The batteries were also crucial to keeping the power on when a nuclear plant hiccuped and went offline earlier in the week, said Doug Lewin, a Texas energy consultant.
—Evan Halper, Washington Post, 24 June 2023
The voice hiccupped, almost as if the man were struggling.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Apr. 2023
There’s a good movie to be made about podcasts that traffic in unsolved mysteries where hosts rank cliffhangers and that hiccuping dramatic cadence over journalism.
—Amy Nicholson, Variety, 17 Mar. 2023
The model and television personality, 37, posted a sweet video of her 1-month-old daughter looking cozy on top of a gray blanket with a white bib, lightly hiccuping as she was being fed milk.
—Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 18 Feb. 2023
Often when someone starts to hiccup, a debate begins among everyone nearby over which home remedy is the true cure.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 4 Feb. 2022
See More
Noun
But even the reviewers who run into that hiccup still keep it because of how unbelievably cute the sign is with their favorite flowers.
—Hannah Rice, Rolling Stone, 14 Nov. 2023
While the finished design looks absolutely charming, the project wasn’t without hiccups.
—Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 8 Nov. 2023
Electric vehicles are losing their luster as major automakers grapple with waning customer demand and the realization that mass adoption of EVs won’t happen without some hiccups.
—Bypaige Hagy, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2023
Just try not to let the hiccups and disruptions of life get in the way of your enjoying all of the beautiful things around you.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Nov. 2023
One hiccup is that the technology behind the current Alexa tends to be good at different things than the technology behind the new Alexa.
—Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2023
Rusty Bell, the director of the Office of Economic Transformation at the Gillette College Foundation in Wyoming, thinks the administration’s climate push is destined for such hiccups.
—Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2023
But there was a hiccup: lower managerial satisfaction.
—Bygleb Tsipursky, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2023
There have been some hiccups in the crew’s quick ascent.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2023
Verb
Sometimes the music seems to hiccup into silence, as if nitrogen bubbles flowed through its bloodstream.
—Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 17 Oct. 2023
Some babies hiccup frequently, even multiple times a day.
—Kimberly Zapata, Parents, 10 Aug. 2023
If your baby starts hiccupping during feeding, wait until the hiccups are gone to continue feeding.5
Treatment
Typical hiccups that last for less than 48 hours are medically termed acute hiccups.
—Jessica Migala, Health, 6 Aug. 2023
The batteries were also crucial to keeping the power on when a nuclear plant hiccuped and went offline earlier in the week, said Doug Lewin, a Texas energy consultant.
—Evan Halper, Washington Post, 24 June 2023
The voice hiccupped, almost as if the man were struggling.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Apr. 2023
There’s a good movie to be made about podcasts that traffic in unsolved mysteries where hosts rank cliffhangers and that hiccuping dramatic cadence over journalism.
—Amy Nicholson, Variety, 17 Mar. 2023
The model and television personality, 37, posted a sweet video of her 1-month-old daughter looking cozy on top of a gray blanket with a white bib, lightly hiccuping as she was being fed milk.
—Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 18 Feb. 2023
Often when someone starts to hiccup, a debate begins among everyone nearby over which home remedy is the true cure.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 4 Feb. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hiccup.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
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Dictionary Entries Near hiccup
Cite this Entry
“Hiccup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hiccup. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
hiccup
1 of 2 noun
hic·cup
variants
also hiccough
: a sudden drawing in of breath that is followed and stopped by sudden closure of the glottis and accompanied by a gulping sound
hiccup
2 of 2 verb
variants
also hiccough
hiccuped also hiccupped; hiccuping also hiccupping
: to make a hiccup or be affected with hiccups
Medical Definition
hiccup
1 of 2 noun
hic·cup
variants
also hiccough
1
: a spasmodic inhalation with closure of the glottis accompanied by a peculiar sound
2
: an attack of hiccuping
—usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction
severe hiccups is sometimes seen after operation—Lancet
Lancetintractable hiccup … may be successfully treated—Journal of the American Medical Association
Journal of the American Medical Associationhiccup
2 of 2 intransitive verb
variants
also hiccough
hiccuped also hiccupped or hiccoughed; hiccuping also hiccupping or hiccoughing
: to make a hiccup
also
: to be affected with hiccups
hiccuper
noun
also hiccougher
More from Merriam-Webster on hiccup
Nglish: Translation of hiccup for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of hiccup for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hiccup
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