whistle

1 of 2

noun

whis·​tle ˈ(h)wi-səl How to pronounce whistle (audio)
often attributive
1
a
: a small wind instrument in which sound is produced by the forcible passage of breath through a slit in a short tube
a police whistle
b
: a device through which air or steam is forced into a cavity or against a thin edge to produce a loud sound
a factory whistle
2
a
: a shrill clear sound produced by forcing breath out or air in through the puckered lips
b
: the sound produced by a whistle
c
: a signal given by or as if by whistling
3
: a sound that resembles a whistle
especially : a shrill clear note of or as if of a bird

whistle

2 of 2

verb

whistled; whistling ˈ(h)wi-s(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce whistle (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a
: to utter a shrill clear sound by blowing or drawing air through the puckered lips
b
: to utter a shrill note or call resembling a whistle
c
: to make a shrill clear sound especially by rapid movement
the wind whistled
d
: to blow or sound a whistle
2
a
: to give a signal or issue an order or summons by or as if by whistling
b
: to make a demand without result
he did a sloppy job, so he can whistle for his money

transitive verb

1
a
: to send, bring, signal, or call by or as if by whistling
b
: to charge (someone, such as a basketball or hockey player) with an infraction
2
: to produce, utter, or express by whistling
whistle a tune
whistleable adjective
Phrases
whistle in the dark
: to keep up one's courage by or as if by whistling

Examples of whistle in a Sentence

Noun The policeman blew his whistle. We could hear the train's whistle. We could hear the low whistle of the wind through the trees. the whistle of the tea kettle Verb He was whistling as he walked down the street. He whistled for a cab. He whistled a happy tune. The teakettle started to whistle. A bullet whistled past him.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The former Barcelona superstar then whipped the home crowd into a frenzy with two quick goals before the final whistle. Ben Church, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024 Snow pours into hallways through doors that don’t seal and wind whistles through electrical outlets. Matt Krupnick, ProPublica, 14 Oct. 2024
Verb
People now report the sound of someone running behind them and whistling. Julie Jordan, People.com, 17 Oct. 2024 Referees whistle play dead after a goalie catches or covers a puck shot in their direction. Kyle Stokes, Axios, 8 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for whistle 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whistle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hwistle; akin to Old Norse hvīsla to whisper

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of whistle was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near whistle

Cite this Entry

“Whistle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whistle. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

whistle

1 of 2 noun
whis·​tle ˈhwis-əl How to pronounce whistle (audio)
ˈwis-
1
: a device making a shrill sound
tin whistle
steam whistle
2
a
: a shrill clear sound made by forcing air through puckered lips
b
: a sound or signal produced by a whistle or as if by whistling

whistle

2 of 2 verb
whistled; whistling ˈhwis-(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce whistle (audio)
ˈwis-
1
: to make a whistle through puckered lips
2
: to move, pass, or go with a shrill sound
an arrow whistled by me
3
: to blow or sound a whistle
the teakettle whistled
4
: to utter by whistling
whistle a tune
whistler
ˈhwis-(ə-)lər
ˈwis-
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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