whistle

1 of 2

noun

whis·​tle ˈ(h)wi-səl How to pronounce whistle (audio)
often attributive
1
a
: a small wind instrument in which sound is produced by the forcible passage of breath through a slit in a short tube
a police whistle
b
: a device through which air or steam is forced into a cavity or against a thin edge to produce a loud sound
a factory whistle
2
a
: a shrill clear sound produced by forcing breath out or air in through the puckered lips
b
: the sound produced by a whistle
c
: a signal given by or as if by whistling
3
: a sound that resembles a whistle
especially : a shrill clear note of or as if of a bird

whistle

2 of 2

verb

whistled; whistling ˈ(h)wi-s(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce whistle (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a
: to utter a shrill clear sound by blowing or drawing air through the puckered lips
b
: to utter a shrill note or call resembling a whistle
c
: to make a shrill clear sound especially by rapid movement
the wind whistled
d
: to blow or sound a whistle
2
a
: to give a signal or issue an order or summons by or as if by whistling
b
: to make a demand without result
he did a sloppy job, so he can whistle for his money

transitive verb

1
a
: to send, bring, signal, or call by or as if by whistling
b
: to charge (someone, such as a basketball or hockey player) with an infraction
2
: to produce, utter, or express by whistling
whistle a tune
whistleable adjective
Phrases
whistle in the dark
: to keep up one's courage by or as if by whistling

Examples of whistle in a Sentence

Noun The policeman blew his whistle. We could hear the train's whistle. We could hear the low whistle of the wind through the trees. the whistle of the tea kettle Verb He was whistling as he walked down the street. He whistled for a cab. He whistled a happy tune. The teakettle started to whistle. A bullet whistled past him.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Some fans at the Raiders’ final Coliseum game in 2019 — doubly incensed by some controversial officiating calls in that game — threw trash and bottles onto the field after the final whistle. Justice Delos Santos, The Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2024 Saturday night’s dramatic 4-1 victory over Espanyol should have given Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti plenty of reasons to be optimistic, but the Italian looked concerned after the final whistle regarding one moment in particular. Sam Leveridge, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024
Verb
When Sharon is surprised, Farrow squeezes her voice into an adorable whistling squeak. Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2024 In contrast to their matchup Sunday night, where the Sparks led for most of the game and collapsed in the fourth quarter, the Sun outplayed them from whistle to whistle, led by Marina Mabrey, who was their spark plug with a career-high 26 points, two rebounds, and four assists off the bench. Andrés Soto, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for whistle 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whistle.' 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

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hwistle; akin to Old Norse hvīsla to whisper

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of whistle was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near whistle

Cite this Entry

“Whistle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whistle. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

whistle

1 of 2 noun
whis·​tle ˈhwis-əl How to pronounce whistle (audio)
ˈwis-
1
: a device making a shrill sound
tin whistle
steam whistle
2
a
: a shrill clear sound made by forcing air through puckered lips
b
: a sound or signal produced by a whistle or as if by whistling

whistle

2 of 2 verb
whistled; whistling ˈhwis-(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce whistle (audio)
ˈwis-
1
: to make a whistle through puckered lips
2
: to move, pass, or go with a shrill sound
an arrow whistled by me
3
: to blow or sound a whistle
the teakettle whistled
4
: to utter by whistling
whistle a tune
whistler
ˈhwis-(ə-)lər
ˈwis-
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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