holler
1 Americanverb (used without object)
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hollers,
present (3rd person singular)
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hollered,
past participle, past
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hollering
present participle
verb (used with object)
-
hollers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
hollered,
past participle, past
-
hollering
present participle
noun
noun
verb
noun
Usage
What else does holler mean? To holler is "to shout," extended to "say hello" or "hit on" in Black English. In Appalachian English, a holler refers to a "hollow," or mountain valley.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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hollersimple
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hollerssimple
-
have holleredperfect
-
has holleredperfect
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am holleringprogressive
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are holleringprogressive
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is holleringprogressive
-
have been holleringperfect progressive
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has been holleringperfect progressive
Past
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holleredsimple
-
had holleredperfect
-
was holleringprogressive
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were holleringprogressive
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had been holleringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of holler1
1690–1700, variant of holla ( see hallo)
Origin of holler2
An Americanism dating back to 1835–45
Explanation
When you holler, you yell a little too loudly and abruptly. A kid stuck in a tree might holler for help until someone shows up to help him climb down. Holler is an informal verb, useful for those times you call out or shout. Your teacher might holler at the class if she gets angry enough, and you might holler at your sister to get out of your room at least once a day. A holler can also be a dip or depression in the land, a hollow. The word dates from the 17th century, a colloquial form of hollo, a variation on hello.
Vocabulary lists containing holler
Instead of "Said": Words That Sound Like What They Mean
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"The People Could Fly," Vocabulary from the folk tale
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"The People Could Fly" by Virginia Hamilton
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Fast forward to the semiquincentennial and Americans holler versions of that slogan through windows in real life, just on phones and computers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
"But the kid inside of you wants to break out and just hoot and holler."
From Barron's ● Apr. 4, 2026
The glorious holler of the V12—equivalent to six Italian superbikes—would make a statue of Enzo Ferrari cry.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2025
High school, college, med school, it’s all the same: You dress up, get there early, sweat in the sunshine, and holler like hell when the grad’s name gets called.
From Slate ● May 27, 2025
Across the holler, Z was in his own cabin, holding a lantern in the middle of the main room.
From "Ruby Holler" by Sharon Creech
One of the lesser-known tragedies is the story of Gary Stewart, a bar-prowling, hard-living singer from the hollers of eastern Kentucky.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026
The audience in Dallas — the city where the comedian began her stand-up career and later set her self-titled network sitcom — hoots and hollers in response.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2025
But us football fans must recognize that not everyone hoots and hollers for the conversion on a long third down or a legendary pick six.
From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2025
There were heartening hollers, dramatic dashes when chances were created and applause for the application of her players throughout.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2025
Momma hollers, and we hurry toward the kitchen.
From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
“I’m going to watch,” he hollered that day, “just like all of you.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 2, 2026
The man, Marshall Wilson, 46, then hollered at Reichert, according to a memo from the Yellowstone County prosecutor’s office.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2025
Todd whooped and hollered, in no small part because he had bet a Dodgers employee that his buddy would go deep.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2025
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had hollered a similar message in a warmup speech to the senior officers.
From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2025
When they turned onto the road, I hollered, “Thank you!”
From "Wish" by Barbara O'Connor
Last year, “The Minecraft Movie” had children hollering in theaters but few stakes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
“We’re hopping and hollering in our living rooms,” Michael said, “but it’s nothing like being in person.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2026
The script works in as many callbacks as possible: spooky mannequins under plastic sheeting, tacky parade floats with giant fiberglass clams, Hewitt hollering her memorable line: “What are you waiting for?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2025
Because December 2006's goal of the month contest was powerful stuff; a 100%-proof cocktail of hollering commentators and screaming shots as semtex insteps hit the ball with gleeful abandon.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2024
Kermit was bored from being in bed all day, so the minute I got home from school, he started hollering for me.
From Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
