sizzle 1 of 2

Definition of sizzlenext
as in whistle
a sound similar to the speech sound \s\ stretched out there was a brief sizzle as the moth flew into the flame

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1
as in to hiss
to make a sound like that of stretching out the speech sound \s\ from my bed I could hear the bacon sizzling in the frying pan

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in to steam
to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger she was really sizzling about being passed over for the promotion, and nearly quit

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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 sizzle
Noun
At another kettle grill, thicker skirt steaks sizzle over the coals before receiving a dicing for the arrachera tacos. Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026 Embodied by the O’Jays, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Lou Rawls, and others, it was grown-up and plush, but still grooving—the seedbed for the sizzle of disco, with an emphasis on Black pride. Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 24 July 2026
Verb
Families heading to Las Vegas may love a water park pit stop, especially when the summer heat sizzles over 100 degrees. Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 31 July 2026 Waking up to the smell of sizzling bacon is one of life’s little pleasures. Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sizzle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sizzle
Noun
  • During Atletico’s season-opening draw to Villarreal on Sunday, he was booed and walked straight down the tunnel at the full-time whistle after a second-half cameo.
    Pol Ballús, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • When the final whistle ended, Messi and the rest of the men in pink trudged off the field and the silent, disappointed crowd headed to the parking lots and train station.
    Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 23 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • But delivering that level of craft in a high-octane room where the hissing espresso machine competes with the bassline?
    Carly Boers, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
  • And in 2022, Japanese researchers turned a Madagascar hissing cockroach into a cyborg for search-and-rescue missions using a similar, though more sophisticated, approach.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Each bite was unique — a pocket of cold sour cream here, the cheese only partially melted there, the last crisp cry of the ever-steaming French fries yonder.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The kitchen steams between 1,500 and 1,800 of three varieties every night at Adams Morgan’s 11-year-old Afghan hot spot.
    Warren Rojas, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The colors sparked an immediate sense of joy, and a fizz of anticipation bubbled through our group.
    Megan Wilkes, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Green tea extract adds a touch of fine tannin, and the wine is gently saturated with CO2 for a persistent fizz.
    Lauren Jarvis-Gibson July 22, Charlotte Observer, 22 July 2026
Verb
  • State Assembly Member John Harabedian, who represents Altadena, where the Eaton Fire killed 19 people and burned about 9,400 homes and structures, authored one of the bills passed this week.
    Evan Bush, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The Soviet Union was an archetypal fragile superpower, its red star burning bright before its dramatic final implosion.
    Ben Bland, semafor.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The bag is big enough to hold all your travel essentials—even a small umbrella or tablet—and features two slip pockets and one zip pocket inside.
    Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Be sure to squeeze out as much air as possible from the container or zip-top bag before freezing the fresh pumpkin puree.
    Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Just boiling things down to that, and to the voice and the lip sync is painstaking.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026
  • While waiting for the water to boil, shuck the corn and discard the husks.
    Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 30 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The deadly multistate outbreak, linked to iceberg lettuce, has raged on this summer.
    Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • With wars still raging in the Middle East and Ukraine — and turbulence escalating globally — artists on the film festival circuit have been navigating political minefields.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sizzle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sizzle. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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