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

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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
  • 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
  • Being on the floor during a fracas that bubbled over into the first row of the Spectrum Center stands turned out to be quite the memorable moment for Brandon Miller.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Midway through the second quarter Tuesday night, Southlake Carroll junior guard Whitney Jense blocked Mansfield Legacy star Madison Crawford on one end and came down on offense and swished a 3-pointer.
    Ishmael Johnson, Dallas Morning News, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Atwell took the pass and swished the 3 for a 66-64 lead.
    Doug Haller, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Even what seemed like major developments have sometimes fizzled out into the same waiting game.
    Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Other laws were proposed, but fizzled out.
    Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • Traffic whizzed by the shady corner of Boulevard and Archibald Avenue on the cold Monday afternoon.
    PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 12 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • Never mind that the Padres exited fast from the playoffs three months ago and that their offseason hasn’t sizzled.
    Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Hissed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hissed. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.

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