hoots 1 of 2

noun

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
as in damns
the smallest amount or part imaginable I don't give a hoot whether you want to go or not—you're going

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

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hoots

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of hoot
1
as in howls

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2
as in jeers

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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
  1. shouts
  2. snorts
  3. licks
  4. screams
  5. howls
  6. insults
  7. cries
  8. boos
Noun
  • The stadium went silent, save for the shouts from the visiting team’s dugout.
    — Nicolas Villamil, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
  • His final words drowned in a din of shouts and sparkling spray, as the Astros feted an aspiration fulfilled.
    — Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of shouts
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
Definition of snorts
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
Definition of licks
Noun
  • The Boston Blue star literally leaned into the moment, laying his head on Osmond’s shoulder as the two men smiled and soaked up the rapturous screams from the audience.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The band’s hard edges come from a collision of metal and punk, reggae and hardcore, and melody with throat-ripping screams.
    — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of screams
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
Definition of howls
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
Definition of insults
Noun
  • Over cries of foul from those who came in person, the board’s attorney Shayla Myers announced the meeting was canceled because the Zoom channel had a capacity of only 1,000.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Lacking life detection equipment, the workers strained to hear their cries.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of cries
Noun
  • Fans who braved the stormy weather caused by Hurricane Isaias rained down boos as Atlanta United picked up another loss, this time to FC Cincinnati 3-1 on Saturday night.
    — Amna Subhan, AJC.com, 11 Oct. 2026
  • But, as the boos reigned down from the Bryant Denny Stadium stands, there was nothing left for the Alabama fans to cheer about after the Bulldogs sacked Keelon Russell on the ensuing play.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of boos

Browse Nearby Words

hooting
hoots
Hooverville
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Cite this Entry

“Hoots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoots. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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