hiss 1 of 2

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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hiss

2 of 2

verb

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

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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 hiss
Verb
This week, Matt Ritchie compared Wembley 2023 to a party balloon that had been inflated for a fortnight; by the day of the game, air was hissing out. George Caulkin, The Athletic, 15 Mar. 2025 Jones eventually released the distressed baby wombat, which hissed and screeched while in her arms, back onto the road, the video shows. Peter Guo, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2025 After the wombat hisses, seemingly in distress, Jones eventually returns the animal to the bush. Rebecca Schneid, TIME, 13 Mar. 2025 Members have hissed and hollered at Presidents of the opposing party in recent years with casual regularity. Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hiss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hiss
Noun
  • Indeed, on Thursday in Basel, a small group of protesters blew whistles and waved flags to disrupt one of Raphael’s public rehearsals.
    Alex Marshall, New York Times, 16 May 2025
  • The absurdity of it all was met with laughter, light applause and exactly one whistle.
    Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2025
Noun
  • Conclusion: The Crown is made for those who want the reliability of a Toyota SUV minus the snort and belch.
    Josh Max, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
  • The scenes on set in this episode are all comic gold, from Billy dashing to his tent for generous snorts between takes to a musical number that culminates in Teenjus healing a young man who then tosses his crutches away and breakdances.
    Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • This inflatable hot tub is designed to fit up to four people and features 120 bubbling warm jets, which can reach a temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
    Toni Sutton, People.com, 18 May 2025
  • This cauldron of mixed ingredients quickly bubbles over, and doesn’t stop overflowing until the film’s final moments.
    Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
Noun
  • The pack sports an exterior laptop pocket for easy TSA access, catch-all zip pockets for passports and tickets, interior slip pockets for magazines and notebooks, two water bottle holders, a handy magnetic closure and a pass-through strap that attaches to rolling luggage.
    Nora Colomer may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 10 May 2025
  • The 2-in-1 Tote Bag keeps your chaos chic with a snap strap for your laptop, zip pockets for the tiny stuff (pacifiers or lip balm, anyone?), and twin open slots for easy phone grabs mid-diaper change.
    Pooja Shah, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
Noun
  • In a movie climate where remakes tend to draw sneers of derision and claims that people have just gotten too lazy to invent anything new, Disney’s remakes of its own products are always a chief target.
    Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 21 Mar. 2025
  • But the moralistic sneer didn’t take long to enter the postgame analysis.
    Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • What was at first written off as mere youthful rebellion, destined to fizzle out, ultimately yielded the appointment of a Deaf president, and helped galvanize the greater movement that led to the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act.
    John Hendrickson, The Atlantic, 23 May 2025
  • But what could set the current optimism apart from previous emerging market rallies that fizzled out?
    Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 21 May 2025
Noun
  • Aimee Lou Wood, who played Chelsea, couldn’t believe the attention on her toothy smirk.
    Brittany Talarico, People.com, 21 Apr. 2025
  • In group settings, Edelman was good for a clip on the local news, making a wry joke about his own passing abilities, the opposing team or Brady with a smirk on his face.
    Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 6 May 2025
Verb
  • Thoroughly rinse by swishing water around the mouth.
    Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 15 May 2025
  • The shot swished through, giving the Knicks a 116-113 lead over the Pistons during Game 6 of their first-round playoff series.
    Fred Katz, New York Times, 2 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Hiss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hiss. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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