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Definition of hissnext
1
as in whistle
a sound similar to the speech sound \s\ stretched out the hiss of air escaping from a balloon

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2
as in snort
a vocal sound made to express scorn or disapproval there was a chorus of boos and hisses from the fans when the umpire called the runner out

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hiss

2 of 2

verb

as in to bubble
to make a sound like that of stretching out the speech sound \s\ the frightened kitten hissed at us when we tried to pick it up

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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 hiss
Noun
That calmness, however, was soon overtaken by the kitchen, with the hiss of the pans, stir of the pots and sharp calls exchanged between cooks quickly filling the air, along with the sounds of an upbeat Peruvian song playing in the background. Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2025 The first meeting resulted in a hiss from Miriam, but after a few days, the two are obsessed. Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
My pal was in deep slumber, breathed through this kind of hissing accordion. Sam Lipsyte, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025 Warning signs a skunk is ready to spray include jumping, stamping their front feet, arching their back, clicking teeth, and hissing. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hiss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hiss
Noun
  • Federal officers fired tear gas Monday to break up a crowd of whistle-blowing bystanders in Minneapolis who showed up to see the aftermath of a car crash involving immigration agents, just a few blocks from where Good was fatally shot.
    WCCO Staff, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2026
  • On Saturday, Rogers answered his manager’s call emphatically, even if that aggression spilt over after the final whistle.
    Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 12 Jan. 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
  • The page gave a deep snort, hocking a chartreuse wad against the root of the nightingale’s birch.
    Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Otherwise, plan to clean the bottom of the oven anytime a dish bubbles over.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Jan. 2026
  • Nvidia has been sitting out of the market’s rally in recent months, but top names on Wall Street say the bubbling anxiety that has rocked the tech stock could be overblown.
    Pia Singh, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • McDonald’s is spreading a little festive sneer this holiday season with the release of a brand-new menu inspired by Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch.
    Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
  • Burnett tried several versions in a row: first deadpan, then with a sneer of sarcasm, pursing her lips in judgment.
    Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Tis a truth universally acknowledged that in the second week of January, resolutions made in earnest over champagne toasts fizzle out like fireworks.
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 13 Jan. 2026
  • When Garcia died three decades ago, the legacy of the band could have fizzled.
    Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • In the video, Castela sings these words with a knowing smirk.
    Carolina Abbott Galvão, The Dial, 6 Jan. 2026
  • Cohen, meanwhile, couldn’t remove a satisfied smirk from his face.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 1 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Anthony Edwards became the third-youngest player in NBA history to reach 10,000 career points, when the Minnesota Timberwolves star swished a 13-foot fadeaway jumper from the baseline midway through the fourth quarter against Cleveland on Thursday night.
    CBS News, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Leave for a few minutes and then swish the water around the inside of the bowl with a toilet brush and flush.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Peek-a-boo bras that perk out of tops were all over last year’s red carpets.
    Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 10 Jan. 2026
  • Even if your boo won’t express it eloquently enough, know that these bestsellers will leave him grateful.
    Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 9 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Hiss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hiss. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.

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