hoots 1 of 2

plural of hoot
1
as in shouts
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 snorts
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

hoots

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of hoot

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 hoots
Noun
Church bells, owl hoots and sprinklers keeping the grass hydrated during this dry spell fill the space between the occasional motor trudging along a main road devoid of commotion. — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026 Ranging from the sound of emergency sirens and birds screeching to low grunts and guttural hoots, their vocalizations reverberate from a sanctuary in the hot, dry hills of the Santa Clarita Valley, north of Los Angeles. — Jaimie Ding, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026 With a few hoots and hollers, and even a couple clucks, the group took off on their ascent to the Betty Bear Hut. — Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 30 July 2026 Wiseman said to hoots from the crowd of media gathered at the site. — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026 Owl hoots are most effective at striking up turkeys when owls are naturally active, which is around dawn and dusk. — Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026 Cowboy and cowgirl hoots and hollers complement the rumbling of the massive animals’ hooves as they’re rounded up into the corrals. — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 28 Dec. 2025 There are hoots and hollers from raucous tourists on Bourbon Street, for example. — Matt Alderton, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025 There are a few hoots and hollers as the others agree or protest. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoots
Noun
  • Her speech deteriorated into shouts and hums and eventually almost disappeared.
    — Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Sai is trying to talk to Carole about their differences and shouts across Erin’s Upper West Side townhouse, screaming her name.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • But for the most part, both are getting their points across, landing a few licks and, so far, avoiding the sort of major gaffe or damaging moment that could reshape the race.
    — AJC.com, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Shafee operates in a languid, free-form zone throughout, trading his funky licks for loose, spacious lines and tolling, repetitive chords.
    — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 6 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • On the title track Chen reaches for the psaltery (a kind of zither without frets), creating a meandering, medieval atmosphere whose ubiquitous electronic background buzz foreshadows the biting screams and blistering bass to come.
    — James Gui, Pitchfork, 4 Nov. 2026
  • After Pan announced that Kiley had called him to concede, the attendees at his election night event at Frends Brewhouse erupted into joyful screams, applause and eventually chanted his name.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • The sharp howls after a patient traveling from abroad presented with a full-term fetal demise?
    — Caroline Cherston, STAT, 25 Aug. 2026
  • At night, the coyote howls echo through the development keeping residents awake.
    — N. Kirkpatrick, Washington Post, 1 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • That's what happens when your star insults moviegoers or goes off on tangents about the characters's sexuality.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
  • Ohm quickly insults nearly every employee at this small hotel within moments of meeting them, except for the young, pretty bartender, Fiona (Florence Ordesh).
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Alarmed by the cries, Sita urges Lakshmana to go to Rama’s aid.
    — Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Her friend’s cries mixed with the sound of police car sirens before officers arrived and escorted students and staff out the building.
    — Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Even after leaving the stadium, they were met with incessant boos and middle fingers from Thorns fans.
    — Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The Panthers trailed, 33-6, at halftime in front of an aggrieved home crowd that rained boos on them at several junctures.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 26 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Hoots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoots. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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