hissing 1 of 2

noun

as in booing

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hissing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of hiss
as in bubbling
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 hissing
Noun
Let Jimmy and Dee Haslam, the managing and principal partners of the mess in Cleveland, hear the hissing and feel all of this fury. — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Musty odors, excessive dust and strange hissing noise can mean problems with the ducts, but other problems can go unnoticed. — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 24 July 2026 Fireworks might have additional whistling, crackling or hissing sounds. — Eva Flowe july 1, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2026 Sure enough, all tires were up and there were no obvious punctures or hissing sounds. — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 28 June 2026 There was no explosion, no frantic hissing, or toxic plume. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 May 2026 At one point, he was seen walking toward an SUV's rear passenger side tire when agents heard a pop and a loud hissing noise. — Brandon Downs, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026 Signs that a battery is about to fail include swelling, hissing, popping, an unusual odor and excessive heat, according to a New York Division of Homeland Security battery consumer guide. — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026 And there’s a constant hissing noise around it. — JSTOR Daily, 25 Nov. 2025
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, 3 Aug. 2026 The complete assembly weighs just enough for the Madagascar hissing cockroach, a species favored for cyborg research because of its large size, robustness, and wingless body, to carry without significantly impairing its movement. — New Atlas, 18 July 2026 Jason was hissing fiercely; Gordon, who projects a monastic calm, was trying to reason with the mother while batting her back each time the flap swung open. — Literary Hub, 15 July 2026 Granny doesn’t discriminate, hissing invective at both Alice and Thya with equal venom. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026 Then a hissing arrow pins a golden soccer ball to the Clash of Clans escutcheon. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 26 June 2026 There’s plenty of feline choreography, like crawling, meowing, and hissing. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 23 June 2026 Louis let out a hissing breath. — Dolores Brown, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hissing
  1. booing
  2. bubbling
  3. hiss
  4. swishing
  5. whistle
  6. whizzing
  7. sneer
  8. smirk
Noun
  • The situation resulted in a 15-plus-minute delay, Boston’s first run of the contest and heavy booing from the home crowd.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • According to Love, the announcement prompted near-unanimous booing from passengers, Forbes reported.
    — Luisa Yanez August 10, Miami Herald, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of booing
Verb
  • Think minimal yet colorful wallpaper, moody color palettes, canopy beds, and most importantly, that warm fuzzy feeling that just keeps bubbling up.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The issue is the latest off-field mess for college athletics, bubbling to the surface after various courts issued injunctions allowing fifth-year players to return to school.
    — Seth Emerson, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of bubbling
Noun
  • He was shown a yellow card for excessive celebration, which drew loud boos and hisses from the fans.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Across 17 tracks, guitar riffs curdle into sheets of distortion, melodies dissolve into electronic hiss, and grooves are chronically interrupted by fresh rhythmic detours.
    — Arman Khan, Pitchfork, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of hiss
Verb
  • One displays images of water swishing around the screen’s golden frame.
    — Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Rinse the blueberries under cold running water, gently swishing them around with your hands to ensure all the berries are exposed to water.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 3 July 2026
Definition of swishing
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
Definition of whistle
Verb
  • First and foremost is, roughly, that thou shalt not think about ordinary objects presently whizzing through ordinary space.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026
  • There’s no better view than from whizzing over the water on these scenic bridges.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of whizzing
Noun
  • Monica Bellucci’s sneer is a thing of wonder, so why have so few directors used it properly?
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The film’s sincerity — the quality critics praised most — was met with a sneer rather than a response.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 6 July 2026
Definition of sneer
Noun
  • Orion gave a smirk and thumbs up to the camera while Keats made a funny face and stuck his tongue out.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026
  • His trademark smirk and knowing stare are now feared by any opponent up against Norway, but don’t be fooled into thinking Haaland isn’t serious about his career.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Definition of smirk

Browse Nearby Words

hissies
hissing
hissy
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Cite this Entry

“Hissing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hissing. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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