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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in damn
the smallest amount or part imaginable
I don't give a hoot whether you want to go or not—you're going
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
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
Leah Faye Cooper, Vogue, 4 July 2025
Each proud declaration elicited raucous clapping and hooting from the crowd.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 15 May 2025
Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 15 July 2025
The question of the dream’s content lingers, the foghorn hoot of a lone distant synth barely cutting through.
—Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hoot
Noun
Fans show up to the Cowboy Carter tour in thoughtful, inventive takes on Western Americana fashion, stadiums filled with denim, bandanas, cowboy hats, and looks that don’t just scream U.S.A but hoot and holler.
—Leah Faye Cooper, Vogue, 4 July 2025
Each proud declaration elicited raucous clapping and hooting from the crowd.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 15 May 2025
Verb
Another table over, a small group of friends put in an order for five dozen oysters, shooting them back with hoots and hollers that electrified the tiny room.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 15 July 2025
The question of the dream’s content lingers, the foghorn hoot of a lone distant synth barely cutting through.
—Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hoot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoot
Noun
-
An eclectic mix of Web3-native headlines, from sales stats to upcoming events to brief artist shout outs, make this missive a must-read for any follower of the tokenized digital art community.—
Ana María Caballero,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Davidson interrupted frequently by shouts from the crowd The event began with a prayer, led by an Edgewood High School senior, and the Pledge of Allegiance.—
Erin Glynn,
The Enquirer,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Rapace’s response externalizes four different beats, from a snort to a tear, astonishment to anger.—
Ritesh Mehta,
IndieWire,
27 Aug. 2025
-
The snoring is often interrupted by a long silent period during which breathing stops and then followed by a loud snort and gasp as the patient attempts to breathe.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
24 July 2025
Noun
-
There’s a lot that is freeing about getting older, including not giving as much of a damn.—
Anna Holmes,
The Atlantic,
21 Aug. 2025
-
And as far as luxurious treats go, well, the afternoon high tea there is not to be missed, and the theme changing monthly offers the strongest argument yet to treat oneself ad infinitum without giving a tinker’s damn about the current economy.—
Timothy DePeugh,
Charlotte Observer,
1 May 2025
Noun
-
Cool Game-Day Uniforms Football matches and homecoming scream fall, and who better than Taylor Swift to prove that dressing up for game-day can be as easy as cheering on your friends from the the stands.—
Michelle Lee,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The episode recontextualizes the Gorn’s terrifying scream.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The pair is seen crawling through a wildflower field, dancing, and jumping, but also hollering at each other, brandishing knives, and at some point, Lawrence licks a window with zeal.—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Martin was onstage with Sweeney, Michôd and the rest of the cast as the Princess of Wales Theatre crowd hollered.—
Tatiana Siegel,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Would any self-respecting show really risk insulting the viewer’s intelligence so flagrantly?—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Trump has insulted both men about their weight.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Michel Iluz, whose son Guy Iluz was killed while captive in Gaza, shouted into the microphone at the Jerusalem protest, the pain in his voice mounting to a howl.—
WAFAA SHURAFA,
Arkansas Online,
7 Sep. 2025
-
More importantly, the most recent of these sightings, just two years ago, was by a railroad passenger, so keep a lookout for a tall, hairy figure, or for massive footprints, which are also commonly reported, and listen for the mysterious creature’s spine-tingling howls.—
The Editors,
Outside,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Jacob sneers, but doesn’t even wait for his son to answer.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
15 Aug. 2025
-
The single, meanwhile, is ushered in with a gripping bass line and an undercurrent of keyboards until Osbourne makes his grand vocal entrance, all sneers and snarls.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoot. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share