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 whistles
Kate Perez, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
Mrtka was actively involved between the whistles and after the whistle, using his size to clear the net and get under opponents’ skin.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
While other animals such as rats and mice are also known to have laryngeal whistles, the study says that horses are believed to be the only animals known to combine the whistle with vocal fold vibrations to create a single, dual sound call.
—Kate Perez, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
Mrtka was actively involved between the whistles and after the whistle, using his size to clear the net and get under opponents’ skin.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whistles
Verb
-
The film wheezes through its less-than-80-minute running time, and no one seems all that sad to move on.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
16 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Carrie’s voice hisses in my ear.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
-
In Whale’s picture, the bride doesn’t talk — only screams or hisses like an irritated cat — and is brought to life 5 minutes before the credits roll.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Half- and quarter-zips can skew either professional or sporty, depending on their cut and material.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
8 Apr. 2026
-
This translated into quarter zips and cardigans perfect for watching the fog roll in off the Bay in San Francisco, but not perfect for being especially fashionable.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Cunningham’s Fisher-Price pianos and decrepit drums are unmistakable, as is Ciani’s Buchla, which whooshes and rattles like a steam engine barreling down the tracks.—
Andrew Ryce,
Pitchfork,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The camera handled by cinematographer Malik Hassan Sayeed, working with Guadagnino for the first time, whooshes around his subjects to indicate the shakiness of their frames of mind.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Each shooting star is a tiny fragment from Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, a celestial traveler that swooshes around the Sun every 33 years.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
15 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whistles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whistles. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
