hoot

1 of 3

verb

ˈhüt 

hooted; hooting; hoots

intransitive verb

1

: to shout or laugh usually derisively

2

: to make the natural throat noise of an owl or a similar cry

3

: to make a loud clamorous mechanical sound

transitive verb

1

: to assail or drive out by hooting

hooted down the speaker

2

: to express or utter with hoots

hooted their disapproval

hoot

2 of 3

noun

1

: a sound of hooting

especially : the cry of an owl

2

: a minimum amount or degree : the least bit

don't give a hoot

3

: something or someone amusing

the play is a real hoot

hooty

ˈhü-tē 

adjective

hoot

3 of 3

interjection

ˈhüt 

variants or hoots

ˈhüts 

chiefly Scotland

—used to express impatience, dissatisfaction, or objection

Synonyms of hoot

Noun

• shout
• howl
• cry
• scream

Examples of hoot in a Sentence

Verb

We could hear an owl hooting in the woods.

I hooted at the car in front of me.

The crowd booed and hooted when it was announced that the show was canceled.

The crowd hooted its disapproval.

The speaker was hooted off the platform by a small group of protesters.

Noun

The announcement was met with hoots of derision.

the courtroom erupted in hoots of laughter upon hearing the witness's sarcastic retort to the lawyer's arrogant remark

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

That doesn’t make their hooting, teeth-baring, chest-beating, or branch-shaking any less of an act of communication. — Mike McRae 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026

Firefighters who weren’t yet being deployed lined the route to the tarmac, hooting and clapping and giving high fives. — M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026

Noun

Church bells, owl hoots and sprinklers keeping the grass hydrated during this dry spell fill the space between the occasional motor trudging along a main road devoid of commotion. — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

What a hoot that was — eight Hall of Famers paired with professional anglers and competing for the biggest bass. — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English houten, of imitative origin

Interjection

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Interjection

1540, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hoot

• care a hoot
• give a hoot
• hoot down

Rhymes for hoot

• boot
• bruit
• brut
• brute
• chute
• coot
• cute
• flute
• fruit
• jute
• loot
• lute

Kids Definition

hoot

1 of 2 verb

ˈhüt 

1

: to utter a loud shout usually of scorn

2

: to make the characteristic call of an owl or a similar sound

3

: to drive out by hooting

hooter noun

hoot

2 of 2 noun

1

: a sound of hooting

especially : the call of an owl

2

: a very small amount

don't give a hoot

3

: an amusing person or thing