hoot 1 of 2

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
Slots are now something that people play in groups — and there's a lot of hooting and hollering that goes along with it. Ashley J. Dimella , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2025 Afterward, Loncar said the owlets’ mother roamed the yard, hooting, in hopes of finding her babies. Austin Corona, AZCentral.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Verb
And Mike Nappi is a hoot as Beau’s brother Peanut, who’s something like one of Shakespeare’s wise fool, spinning out truth-telling one-liners all night long. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Aug. 2025 The cult horror flick doesn't totally deliver on a great premise, but Malkovich is a hoot as a cross between Davids Bowie and Koresh. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 19 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for hoot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoot
Noun
  • Aragón Aragón is a region that whispers rather than shouts.
    Nigel Hack, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Ben Parkinson was warming up on the touchline beside Paul Dummett and Emil Krafth when there was a shout and a point from the dugout.
    George Caulkin, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The upgraded exhaust system is a delight, burbling happily at idle, accompanying acceleration with a happy snort.
    Mark Phelan, Freep.com, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Rapace’s response externalizes four different beats, from a snort to a tear, astonishment to anger.
    Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Even for those in the North who didn’t care a damn for the four million held in brutal bondage, or those who wanted a soft, conciliatory approach, the war began to take on new and moral meaning.
    Jack Sheehan September 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
  • At the start, the project required building a damn to drain the water from the facade.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The woman's muffled screams are heard one more time before the video ends.
    Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
  • By following her screams, the officer found the woman as the three suspects drove away, police said.
    Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • To celebrate our arrival, my fellow travelers and I run into the sea, hooting and hollering at the pins-and-needles cold.
    Chloe Berge, AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025
  • The audience was encouraged to hoot and holler as points were scored through the back-and-forth arguments.
    Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Hart will insult Hammerstein as a third-rate talent and then, upon being face-to-face with his rival, spews over-the-top compliments.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2025
  • The Bronx native appears to be referencing her vicious feud with Nicki Minaj, which became a nasty back-and-forth on social media earlier this month that ended up seeing both artists insulting each other’s children.
    Michael Saponara, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Frehley picks up on the drummer’s simmering syncopation hereand unleashes a banshee-like howl of a solo that still clings to the band’s rhythm.
    A.D. Amorosi, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
  • The long recess has drawn howls of protest from Democratic leaders, who have returned to Washington to demand negotiations that might lead to a bipartisan spending bill that could reopen the government.
    Mike Lillis, The Hill, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Anderson plunges the audience into the rebels’ point of view, immersing us in the recalcitrant pride and swagger of Perfidia Beverly Hills, a revolutionary leader played by Teyana Taylor with a hypnotic sneer of defiance.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Jacob sneers, but doesn’t even wait for his son to answer.
    Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 15 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Hoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoot. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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