hiss

[ his ]

/ hɪs /

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verb (used without object)

to make or emit a sharp sound like that of the letter s prolonged, as a snake does, or as steam does when forced under pressure through a small opening.

to express disapproval or contempt by making this sound: The audience hissed when the actor forgot his lines.

verb (used with object)

to express disapproval of by hissing: The audience hissed the controversial play.

to silence or drive away by hissing (usually followed by away, down, etc.): They hissed down the author when he tried to speak.

to utter with a hiss.

noun

a hissing sound, especially one made in disapproval.

OTHER WORDS FOR hiss

2, 4 boo, razz, heckle.

See synonyms for hiss on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of hiss

1350–1400; Middle English hissen; probably imitative; compare Old English hyscan to jeer at, rail (derivative of husc jeering; cognate with Old Saxon, Old High German hosc)

OTHER WORDS FROM hiss

hisser, nounhiss·ing·ly, adverbouthiss, verb (used with object)un·hissed, adjective

Words nearby hiss

Hispano-, Hispanophile, Hispanophobe, hispid, hispidulous, hiss, Hiss, Alger, Hissarlik, hisself, hissing, hissy

Other definitions for hiss (2 of 2)

Hiss

[ his ]

/ hɪs /

noun

Alger, 1904–96, U.S. public official, accused of espionage 1948 and imprisoned for perjury 1950–54.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use hiss in a sentence

The cascading raindrops, the hiss of cars on glistening streets, the splashes of pedestrians striding through puddles, all showed up.
After many dry days, Saturday was wet, or at least fairly wet|Martin Weil|October 17, 2021|Washington Post
Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, engineers at Bell Labs, were stymied by a persistent hiss in the house-sized, horn-like antenna they were repurposing for radio astronomy.
How radio astronomy put new eyes on the cosmos|Christopher Crockett|August 31, 2021|Science News
He stumbled upon a hiss coming from somewhere in the constellation Sagittarius, in the direction of the center of the galaxy.
How radio astronomy put new eyes on the cosmos|Christopher Crockett|August 31, 2021|Science News
The highs sound a little crunchy and there’s a very slight hiss when no sound is happening.
Jaybird Run wireless earbud review: solid sound for your sweat and swole sessions|empire|June 24, 2021|Popular-Science

The contention was that a sellout was taking place led by, of all people, Richard Nixon, who originally exposed Alger Hiss.
The End of the Illusion: America Finally Learns Its Limits|Jacob Heilbrunn|April 30, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Others hiss at reporters they disagree with, creating a toxic and tense environment.
Knox Case Nears Its Gaudy End|Barbie Latza Nadeau|September 29, 2011|DAILY BEAST
When the hiss of reptiles turns to words, you hear something that you have never heard and will never forget.
They Saw It Coming|Stanley Crouch|December 30, 2008|DAILY BEAST
Back in 2005, for instance, he argued that the U.S. housing bubble was starting to hiss badly.
The Five Financial Gurus You Can Still Trust|Dave Kansas|October 19, 2008|DAILY BEAST
Smith's method usually gives good results, as does also the more simple method of Hiss (p. 263).
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
When it is inconvenient to stain before the smears have dried, capsules can be shown by the method of Hiss.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
With an explosive hiss, gray jets of live steam erupted from pipes around the edge of the room.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
And Edom shall be desolate: every one that shall pass by it, shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all its plagues.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
As the leader finished her remarks Mrs. Haight brought her teeth together with a snap and shot through them a little hiss.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton

British Dictionary definitions for hiss (1 of 2)

hiss

/ (hɪs) /

noun

a voiceless fricative sound like that of a prolonged s

such a sound uttered as an exclamation of derision, contempt, etc, esp by an audience or crowd

electronics receiver noise with a continuous spectrum, caused by thermal agitation, shot noise, etc

interjection

an exclamation of derision or disapproval

verb

(intr) to produce or utter a hiss

(tr) to express with a hiss, usually to indicate derision or anger

(tr) to show derision or anger towards (a speaker, performer, etc) by hissing

Derived forms of hiss

hisser, noun

Word Origin for hiss

C14: of imitative origin

British Dictionary definitions for hiss (2 of 2)

Hiss

/ (hɪs) /

noun

Alger. 1904–96, US government official: imprisoned (1950–54) for perjury in connection with alleged espionage activities

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

hiss

OTHER WORDS FOR hiss

Origin of hiss

OTHER WORDS FROM hiss

Words nearby hiss

Other definitions for hiss (2 of 2)

Words related to hiss

How to use hiss in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for hiss (1 of 2)

Derived forms of hiss

Word Origin for hiss

British Dictionary definitions for hiss (2 of 2)