hiss 1 of 2

noun

Definition of hissnext
1
as in whistle
a sound similar to the speech sound \s\ stretched out the hiss of air escaping from a balloon

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in snort
a vocal sound made to express scorn or disapproval there was a chorus of boos and hisses from the fans when the umpire called the runner out

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hiss

2 of 2

verb

ˈhis How to pronounce hiss (audio)
as in to bubble
to make a sound like that of stretching out the speech sound \s\ the frightened kitten hissed at us when we tried to pick it up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hiss
Noun
He was shown a yellow card for excessive celebration, which drew loud boos and hisses from the fans. — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 9 Aug. 2026 Across 17 tracks, guitar riffs curdle into sheets of distortion, melodies dissolve into electronic hiss, and grooves are chronically interrupted by fresh rhythmic detours. — Arman Khan, Pitchfork, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
But delivering that level of craft in a high-octane room where the hissing espresso machine competes with the bassline? — Carly Boers, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026 And in 2022, Japanese researchers turned a Madagascar hissing cockroach into a cyborg for search-and-rescue missions using a similar, though more sophisticated, approach. — ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hiss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hiss
  1. whistle
  2. snort
  3. bubble
  4. sneer
  5. fizzle
  6. smirk
  7. swish
  8. boo
Noun
  • The early foul trouble forced Brown to turn to Drummond, who checked in on that same whistle with the Knicks down, 8-5.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Pushing the ball in transition, George made contact with Detroit guard Duncan Robinson before dramatically collapsing to the floor in an Oscar-worthy attempt to bait a whistle.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of whistle
Noun
  • The class had been quiet after the camp text, but now there was at least one snort.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
  • The Rodents of Unusual Size that attack Westley in a swamp work because they are played by small men in rodent suits, rather than coolly conjured from pixels; their deliberate artifice is the thrill, and Reiner provided the voice for their hideous snorts.
    — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
Definition of snort
Verb
  • This is especially important with fruit pies, to prevent the bubbling fruit juices from spilling over the edge of the pan onto your oven floor.
    — Melissa Weller, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Going back to Galadriel, the trailer reveals that there are tensions bubbling under the surface for Galadriel and her Elf prince, Celeborn (Jamie Campbell Bower).
    — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of bubble
Noun
  • Monica Bellucci’s sneer is a thing of wonder, so why have so few directors used it properly?
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The film’s sincerity — the quality critics praised most — was met with a sneer rather than a response.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 6 July 2026
Definition of sneer
Verb
  • In Texas, where Democratic candidates often generate national excitement and then fizzle, Hinojosa has tried to build a post-partisan campaign.
    — Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The sector then went cold as many early-stage companies fizzled.
    — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of fizzle
Noun
  • The pair barely crack more than a perfunctory smirk, in stark contrast to the uproarious laughter emanating from Fielder’s laptop screen.
    — Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
  • My mom’s siblings usually arrived in a sour mood without greeting anyone at the table, my aunt’s brow furrowed and my uncle wearing a sneaky smirk.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of smirk
Verb
  • Some deer wag more than others, and whitetails will swish more at different times of year—for example, in summer and into early bow season, when pesky bugs hover.
    — Tom Carpenter, Outdoor Life, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Alternatively, slice them crosswise and swish well in a bowl of cold water, then lift them out, leaving the dirt behind in the bowl.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of swish
Noun
  • The boo hag Take, for instance, the boo hag, a being in Gullah Geechee folklore.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The crowd’s reaction affected Stewart, who had never heard a boo in his life.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of boo

Browse Nearby Words

hirsute
hiss
hissed
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Cite this Entry

“Hiss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hiss. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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