hissed

Definition of hissednext
past tense of hiss
as in whistled
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

Relevance

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 hissed The heaters hissed and clanked, let off steam, fogged up the windows. Literary Hub, 16 Dec. 2025 Many more dogs licked the cat than the opposite, and more felines ignored, ran away, and hissed at the dog than vice versa. Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025 Getting hissed off So here’s a thing that happened. Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025 Nineteen hours after departure the train took its final breath, hissed and braked into the historic port of Narvik. The Editors, Outside, 31 Aug. 2025 The previous week, Nini had boldly hissed at her from five feet away. Tao Lin, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hissed
Verb
  • That prospect flared up for Seoane as the home fans whistled and booed at the final whistle, and became reality on Monday when the club’s board acted.
    Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In recent weeks, the finance committee has bubbled with disagreement over this approach.
    Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 3 Mar. 2026
  • From start to finish, the 13-minute show bubbled with irrepressible energy, a celebration of human connections that transcended the sour headlines of the day.
    Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Stewart swished the shot, and confetti fell from the roof in celebration.
    Tim Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
  • What happened next resulted in pandemonium for Norwell and utter disbelief for Swampscott as Fein’s shot swished through the net to give the Clippers a 43-42 victory.
    Greg Dudek, Boston Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • However, the laws can’t go into effect until the federal government enacts similar legislation, and the 2023 version of the bill fizzled out in a congressional committee.
    Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Perhaps the Lions discussed a pay cut and talks fizzled.
    Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Someone got a haircut as cars whizzed past.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
  • The Austrian destination where for years Princess Diana brought her sons to go skiing and King Juan Carlos of Spain whizzed down the slopes with his wife Sofía is reinventing itself.
    CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Ball sizzled by draining 6 of 7 attempts beyond the arc in that period.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 23 Feb. 2026
  • Sparklers sizzled, boom-badoom-boom bass thumped, and Nicki Minaj emerged onstage at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest last month to deliver the latest plot twist in an exhausting year for politics and pop culture.
    Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hissed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hissed. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on hissed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster