hoot

1 of 3

verb

ˈhüt 

hooted; hooting; hoots

intransitive verb

1

: to shout or laugh usually derisively

2

: to make the natural throat noise of an owl or a similar cry

3

: to make a loud clamorous mechanical sound

transitive verb

1

: to assail or drive out by hooting

hooted down the speaker

2

: to express or utter with hoots

hooted their disapproval

hoot

2 of 3

noun

1

: a sound of hooting

especially : the cry of an owl

2

: a minimum amount or degree : the least bit

don't give a hoot

3

: something or someone amusing

the play is a real hoot

hooty

ˈhü-tē 

adjective

hoot

3 of 3

interjection

ˈhüt 

variants or hoots

ˈhüts 

chiefly Scotland

—used to express impatience, dissatisfaction, or objection

Synonyms

Noun

• cry
• holler
• howl
• shout
• whoop
• yell
• yowl

Examples of hoot in a Sentence

Verb

We could hear an owl hooting in the woods.

I hooted at the car in front of me.

The crowd booed and hooted when it was announced that the show was canceled.

The crowd hooted its disapproval.

The speaker was hooted off the platform by a small group of protesters.

Noun

The announcement was met with hoots of derision.

the courtroom erupted in hoots of laughter upon hearing the witness's sarcastic retort to the lawyer's arrogant remark

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

That day in April, as the moon crossed between the sun and Earth, causing a total solar eclipse, the quiet erupted into hooting and hollering. —Riley Robinson, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Dec. 2024

In the far corner of the room, a trio of college students huddled in a booth, hooting like hyenas and pounding on the table. —Hazlitt, 9 Dec. 2024

Noun

Mathematicians greeted his assertions with hoots of laughter, called out to friends across the room, and threw paper airplanes. —Erica Klarreich, Quanta Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025

Photographed by Ben Weller, British Vogue, January 2025 Marianne Jean-Baptiste is a hoot. —Radhika Seth, Vogue, 7 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English houten, of imitative origin

Interjection

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Interjection

1540, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hoot

• care a hoot
• give a hoot
• hoot down

Kids Definition

hoot

1 of 2 verb

ˈhüt 

1

: to utter a loud shout usually of scorn

2

: to make the characteristic call of an owl or a similar sound

3

: to drive out by hooting

hooter noun

hoot

2 of 2 noun

1

: a sound of hooting

especially : the call of an owl

2

: a very small amount

don't give a hoot

3

: an amusing person or thing