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 among the supporting players, Woods is the most game of the wacky relatives, Qualley’s a hoot as an antagonistic presence, and Camp, a venerable character actor who’s always a great sight to see, is pretty much the heart of the movie. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026 And Bina Daigeler’s costumes are a hoot, ostentatiously fashionable and expensive and sexy. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
By February, the courtship hooting generally stops as the nesting process begins. Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026 When the crowd begins hooting in response, Nanjiani winces. Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hoot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoot
Noun
  • Juvenile bliss had long contoured this abrasive band, whose songs rattled like playgrounds, and whose shouts rang like the peals of petulant children.
    Samuel Hyland, Pitchfork, 17 Mar. 2026
  • Suddenly, there's a shout from the back!
    Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Soon come the snorts, the heavy body of a second hog tottering heavily from the hut.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Jan. 2026
  • The Rodents of Unusual Size that attack Westley in a swamp work because they are played by small men in rodent suits, rather than coolly conjured from pixels; their deliberate artifice is the thrill, and Reiner provided the voice for their hideous snorts.
    Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • What is emerging instead is a stewardship model that treats vital ecosystems, like coral reefs, as dynamic systems requiring maintenance, repair, and adaptation, much like roads, damns, and power grids.
    Bill Frist, Forbes.com, 23 Feb. 2026
  • My parents have no idea what’s happening because legacy media is not reporting on anything worth a damn.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The silence has transformed into screams.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Now all that's left to do is scream-sing along to Wilson Phillips.
    Vanity Fair, Vanity Fair, 16 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Sit in a deck chair and hoot and holler at skiers going by.
    Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Those take-one-for-the-team moments had the Lakers’ reserves up and hollering.
    Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • If a debt collector begins yelling, insulting or using offensive language toward you during calls, that behavior may qualify as harassment.
    Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
  • People were insulting me, we Argentines like that, but with respect for everything.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Trump’s media-bashing, often a dull roar in the background, is an unusually loud howl right now.
    Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 16 Mar. 2026
  • As the howls got louder, the mother eagle woke up.
    Lauren Linder, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • Valarr asks Ser Duncan with a sneer.
    Noel Murray, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Hoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoot. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.

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