hissing 1 of 2

present participle of hiss
as in bubbling
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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hissing

2 of 2

noun

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hissing
Verb
  • One perk is that the bubbling stream provides the ideal ecosystem where hemlock and rhododendron thrive along the banks.
    Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 29 Dec. 2024
  • There was understandable tension in the quarter-final against Bayern Munich, but something was bubbling from minute one against Porto.
    Art de Roché, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Frustrations from the game boiled over after the final whistle with a confrontation between Pedro and PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and manager Luis Enrique.
    Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 14 July 2025
  • That's not a dog whistle, that's a training whistle.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 13 July 2025
Noun
  • Up front, its face is a far more rectilinear sneer.
    Brett Berk, Robb Report, 8 July 2025
  • Yungblud’s voice — a piercing yelp that exists somewhere between Gerard Way’s wail and Brian Molko’s sneer — slotted him in the alt-rock world, but his aspirations seemed to stretch far beyond that categorization.
    Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2025
Noun
  • There was an expression on his face, something between a smile and a smirk.
    Mona Awad, New Yorker, 20 July 2025
  • Liam McNeeley’s eyes widened, preceding a devilish smirk.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 13 July 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Hissing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hissing. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.

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