hoot 1 of 2

Definition of hootnext
1
as in shout
a loud vocal expression of strong emotion the courtroom erupted in hoots of laughter upon hearing the witness's sarcastic retort to the lawyer's arrogant remark

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2
as in snort
a vocal sound made to express scorn or disapproval he ignored the hoots and jeers coming from the back of the crowd and kept on speaking until he'd had his say

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3
4
as in scream
someone or something that is very funny that stand-up comic is a hoot

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hoot

2 of 2

verb

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 hoot
Noun
And Donnie was so into it and so prepared, and just a hoot. Rebecca Milzoff, Billboard, 31 Mar. 2026 Wiseman said to hoots from the crowd of media gathered at the site. Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
Sit in a deck chair and hoot and holler at skiers going by. Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 18 Mar. 2026 An out of shape owl emerged, followed by jealous girlfriend owl and the ADHD-riddled owl, who is far too distracted to hoot. Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hoot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoot
Noun
  • At times, the school board auditorium broke out into shouts between the groups who supported Alzubi’s reassignment and those who opposed it.
    Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 June 2026
  • With its shout-along hooks and pop drama, Jack Antonoff’s latest isn’t so different from the others, but his myopic views on modern life and celebrity are becoming harder to bear.
    Walden Green, Pitchfork, 30 May 2026
Noun
  • On a night when Lee somehow turned a 73.2 mph snort into a home run, Chapman staged another losing battle while hoping for a conventional one.
    Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 15 May 2026
  • My wife, meanwhile, guards against the occasional loud snort with one of the oldest and most elegant anti-snoring technologies ever devised: earplugs.
    Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • And if that is to be the case, most Chicagoans do not give a damn whether the team goes to Arlington Heights or Hammond.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2026
  • In a world of drivers mostly ruled by their corporate sponsors, Busch was an otherworldly talent who simply did not give a damn.
    Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 22 May 2026
Noun
  • Her endless screams and sobs echo back to the agonized wailing of The Mist’s David Drayton, who murdered his child and friends for nothing.
    Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
  • The episode met with an enthusiastic response from the Taormina audience with squeals of disgust when Aemond seemingly leans into kiss his mother on the lips; as well as cheers, shocked screams and collective gasps as characters fought to the death, sometimes triumphing and sometimes not.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • After one downfield completion from Drake Maye at the second practice of the spring, New England Patriots offensive lineman Morgan Moses hollered in the direction of rookie Caleb Lomu.
    Chad Graff, New York Times, 27 May 2026
  • Down the way, a bunch of young fellas were hooting and hollering.
    Stephen King, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • Reluctant to name favorite designers and boutiques for fear of insulting others, the actress spoke of her fondness for cashmere.
    Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 9 June 2026
  • Then, in 2022, a court convicted him to 31 months in prison for insulting officials from the Supreme Election Council.
    Kaya Genç, The Dial, 9 June 2026
Noun
  • Her presence is heralded not by the sounds of howls, roars or clanking chains, but by the shutting of the door to her study, the scrape of her chair as it is pulled towards her desk, and the clanking of her type-writer keys.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
  • At that point, a loud drum fill announces itself, snarling electric guitars kick in and McCartney’s trademark howls of old arrive in time for a fairly kick-ass chorus.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 23 May 2026
Noun
  • While some celebrants have greeted these caricatures with cathartic jeers and sneers, others are shocked and outraged.
    Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 1 Apr. 2026
  • From the sneer of Billy Idol to the smooth sashaying of Sade, the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees amplify the institution’s commitment to recognizing a diverse slate.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Hoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoot. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.

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