whinnied; whinnying
: to neigh especially in a low or gentle way
: to utter with or as if with a whinny
plural whinnies
1
: the neigh of a horse especially when low or gentle
2
: a sound resembling a neigh
Synonyms
Examples of whinny in a Sentence
Verb
I heard the horse whinnying.
the father whinnied and reared as his young daughter pretended to ride him
Recent Examples on the Web
Aryn Kyle, Harper's Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024
Waffles, patient and unbothered as onlookers walked around and stopped to gaze, nickered as another horse on the other side of the massive stalls whinnied.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Jan. 2024
Some unidentified whinnying joins the cacophony that accompanies gentrification—brash and brazen, with a total disregard for anything other than its own bullish desire.
—Rebecca Haithcoat, GQ, 5 June 2018
The 10-year-old mare bucked, whinnied, and galloped, sensing the pride of victory.
—Mitchell Gladstone, Philly.com, 2 June 2018
The forecast was calling for rain the next day, an element as necessary for all this — the flowering plant life, the whinnying animal life — as is the sun.
—John Kelly, Washington Post, 29 Apr. 2018
Nick Romano, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2022
Laughter punctuates the exaggerated whinnies, proving that the source is not in fact a horse.
—Kalyn Kahler, SI.com, 11 June 2018
But the methodical, meditative act of grooming a horse — brush, brush, brush — and the smell of hay and the gentle whinnies from the 1,200-pound creature have been therapy for Alger.
—Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 17 May 2018
An astonishing collection of laughs — whinnies, giggles, squeals, snorts, heaves — gradually colors the narrative, until this seemingly harmless man becomes, in effect, not just a witness to savagery, but also an accessory.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2018
Animal grunts and growls, horse neighs and whinnies.
—Charles Desmarais, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Apr. 2018
More important, the track is where Charley meets a pretty quarter horse named Lean on Pete, whose velvety brown coat and barely audible whinnies become a balm for the lonely teenager.
—Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2018
Cloris Leachman was Frau Blücher, the sound of whose name caused horses to whinny in fear.
—Daniel Lewis, New York Times, 29 Aug. 2016
Verb
Kenny was large for his age, with a flat, flabby face and a high, whinnying voice.
—Aryn Kyle, Harper's Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024
Waffles, patient and unbothered as onlookers walked around and stopped to gaze, nickered as another horse on the other side of the massive stalls whinnied.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Jan. 2024
Some unidentified whinnying joins the cacophony that accompanies gentrification—brash and brazen, with a total disregard for anything other than its own bullish desire.
—Rebecca Haithcoat, GQ, 5 June 2018
The 10-year-old mare bucked, whinnied, and galloped, sensing the pride of victory.
—Mitchell Gladstone, Philly.com, 2 June 2018
The forecast was calling for rain the next day, an element as necessary for all this — the flowering plant life, the whinnying animal life — as is the sun.
—John Kelly, Washington Post, 29 Apr. 2018
Noun
One of the horses fell on its side, its high whinny like a human scream.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2022
Laughter punctuates the exaggerated whinnies, proving that the source is not in fact a horse.
—Kalyn Kahler, SI.com, 11 June 2018
But the methodical, meditative act of grooming a horse — brush, brush, brush — and the smell of hay and the gentle whinnies from the 1,200-pound creature have been therapy for Alger.
—Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 17 May 2018
An astonishing collection of laughs — whinnies, giggles, squeals, snorts, heaves — gradually colors the narrative, until this seemingly harmless man becomes, in effect, not just a witness to savagery, but also an accessory.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2018
Animal grunts and growls, horse neighs and whinnies.
—Charles Desmarais, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Apr. 2018
More important, the track is where Charley meets a pretty quarter horse named Lean on Pete, whose velvety brown coat and barely audible whinnies become a balm for the lonely teenager.
—Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2018
Cloris Leachman was Frau Blücher, the sound of whose name caused horses to whinny in fear.
—Daniel Lewis, New York Times, 29 Aug. 2016
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whinny.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
probably imitative
First Known Use
Verb
1530, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Noun
circa 1823, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Articles Related to whinny
Dictionary Entries Near whinny
Cite this Entry
“Whinny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whinny. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
whinny
1 of 2 verb
whin·ny
ˈhwin-ē 
ˈwin-
whinnied; whinnying
: to neigh especially in a low or gentle manner
whinny
2 of 2 noun
plural whinnies
: the neigh of a horse especially when low or gentle
More from Merriam-Webster on whinny
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share