hiss

verb

\ ˈhis

hissed; hissing; hisses

Definition of hiss

intransitive verb

: to make a sharp sibilant sound the crowd hissed in disapproval hissing steam

transitive verb

1 : to express disapproval of by hissing hissed the performers off the stage

2 : to utter or whisper angrily or threateningly and with a hiss

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Examples of hiss in a Sentence

The radiator hissed as it let off steam. The audience hissed him off the stage. “Leave me alone!” he hissed.

Recent Examples on the Web

Forest scientists have long amused their students by cutting holes in tree bark and setting fire to gases hissing from the trunk. — Fred Pearce, WIRED, "Trees Emit a Surprisingly Large Amount of Methane," 9 July 2019 The event was open to the public, and some of the attendees heckled and hissed at him. — Tory Newmyer, Washington Post, "The Finance 202: Trump tariffs threaten to unleash economic chaos," 2 Mar. 2018 When a semi-celebrity graduate of their program is mentioned, the girls hiss her name in sibilant wonder and envy. — New York Times, "Review: ‘Dance Nation,’ the Power and the Terror of Girls at 13," 8 May 2018 The event began cordially, but after an hour the crowd was in a partisan lather, by turns hissing and clapping. — Ben Kesling, WSJ, "Democrats Recruit Veterans as Candidates in Bid to Retake the House," 24 Oct. 2018 The wave of women speaking out is now threatening an entrenched machismo culture in a country where women are often catcalled, hissed at and harassed on the street. — Almudena Calatrava, The Seattle Times, "Wave of sexual abuse allegations shakes Argentina," 26 Dec. 2018 Here’s how the system is supposed to work: As steam flows into the radiator, an air vent on the side of the radiator will begin to hiss slightly. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "How to Silence a Noisy Steam Radiator," 11 Dec. 2018 On the flip side, a less tractable cat (say, one who growls or hisses when frightened) may scratch and claw her way out of your lap to avoid the procedure. — Dr. Rob Sharp, Country Living, "Can I Cut My Cat's Nails at Home?," 10 Mar. 2010 After an opening section coasted for a bit on a meditative air, courtesy of pinging bells and hissing high strings, the soft-grained entrance of trumpets signaled a change, without overhauling the moderate, peaceable dynamics. — Seth Colter Walls, New York Times, "Review: A Pulitzer Sequel for Orchestra, Packed With Drama in Microcosm," 30 Mar. 2018

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