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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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
Some of the injured were being taken to hospital in ambulances, and in another video, a loud hissing sound can be heard before a blast hits a few feet away from a crowd of bicyclists. Mushtaq Yusufzai, NBC news, 6 May 2025 The door is heard to open with a whoosh and a hissing sound, but neither the door nor the plane exterior are shown in the aftermath. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025 For each submission, the zoo will name a Madagascar hissing cockroach in an ex's honor. Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2025 Quit bugging me with El Paso Zoo The El Paso Zoo in El Paso, Texas is once again naming Madagascar hissing cockroaches after exes. Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hiss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hiss
Noun
  • But whatever happened to Gaddis, who blew the whistle?
    Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 June 2025
  • While there's no room for friendship between the whistles, the connection stands strong before and after the game.
    Joe Kozlowski, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • Even so, some of Lucy’s pronouncements are so truly awful that a blunt snort of laughter is the only response.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 13 June 2025
  • 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
Verb
  • The dog's cheeks and neck bubbled up, a common side effect of rattlesnake bites.
    Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
  • Wearing their swimsuits, the billionaire Amazon founder and Sánchez could be seen playing in foam that bubbled up on the deck in clouds of thick, frothy bubbles.
    Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • There is one exterior zip pocket that fits my iPhone for easy access.
    Boutayna Chokrane, Wired News, 13 June 2025
  • The 26-year-old hit the ground running after joining Manchester City in January, scoring eight goals across all competitions for Pep Guardiola’s side, adding real zip to an inconsistent front line.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • His voice—typically pitched between a bellow and a sneer—was instantly recognizable to the couple that night.
    Air Mail, Air Mail, 3 May 2025
  • 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
Verb
  • Yet, despite vast resources and early hype, both efforts fizzled.
    Stephen Wunker, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
  • In this musical enemies-to-lovers story, the career of a country music icon’s daughter fizzled when her teenage boyfriend stole her song.
    Lizz Schumer, People.com, 7 June 2025
Noun
  • But watching a group of roughnecks on a rig in grubby overalls moving huge, long steel pipes, Dugan's smile begins to fade to a smirk.
    Kirk Siegler, NPR, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Modern thinkers stopped using these concepts altogether except in quotation marks, with a wink, a smirk, and a glance backward toward the unscientific past.
    Isaac Bashevis Singer, Harpers Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • After a Sparks miss, McBride swished home a triple.
    Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 22 June 2025
  • Laimbeer swished a 3-pointer with six seconds to go to cut the lead to 106-105.
    The Athletic NBA Staff, New York Times, 22 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Hiss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hiss. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

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