wolf whistle
noun
: a distinctive 2-toned whistle sounded to express approval of another person's appearance
The football players, wearing their jerseys and sequestered in the stands, make the same wolf whistles and obnoxious gestures that college football players everywhere tend to make when confronted by shimmying women in tight clothing.—
Neal Karlen
Neal Karlen
Examples of wolf whistle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Then a loud wolf whistle broke her spiral.
—Rachel Heng, The New Yorker, 31 May 2021
The night of the supposed wolf whistle, he was tracked down by Bryant’s husband and his half-brother and told to get out of bed and get dressed.
—Erin Blakemore, Smithsonian, 3 Feb. 2017
Described as a wolf whistle, that single sound became a central accusation against Till.
—Erin Blakemore, Smithsonian, 3 Feb. 2017
Rachel Heng, The New Yorker, 31 May 2021
The night of the supposed wolf whistle, he was tracked down by Bryant’s husband and his half-brother and told to get out of bed and get dressed.
—Erin Blakemore, Smithsonian, 3 Feb. 2017
Described as a wolf whistle, that single sound became a central accusation against Till.
—Erin Blakemore, Smithsonian, 3 Feb. 2017
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wolf 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
First Known Use
1946, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near wolf whistle
Cite this Entry
“Wolf whistle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wolf%20whistle. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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