1
: a small handful (as of hay or straw)
2
a
: a thin strip or fragment
b
: a thready streak
a wisp of smoke
c
: something frail, slight, or fleeting
a wisp of a girl
a wisp of a smile
3
archaic
: will-o'-the-wisp
wisped; wisping; wisps
1
: to roll into a wisp
2
: to make wisps of
a cigarette wisping smoke at the corner of his mouth—
Raymond Chandler
Raymond Chandler
: to emerge or drift in wisps
her hair began to wisp into her eyes—Mary Manning
Mary ManningExamples of wisp in a Sentence
Noun
Wisps of steam rose up from the teapot.
Wisps of cotton candy clung to his mouth.
Recent Examples on the Web
Remy Blumenfeld, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Nov. 2024
Prep the eyes with the eye patches recommended above to enhance the brightening effect and keep things set throughout the day by tapping on the lightest wisp of moisturizer from your ring finger.
—Jessica Ourisman, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 17 Dec. 2015
Then, the wind will wisp them away on a strand of silk, carrying them to new regions, or even states, reports Live Science.
—Rasha Aridi, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Nov. 2021
See all Example Sentences for wisp 
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Noun
The wisp who floats around aimlessly and sometimes drops into a faux English accent when trying to impress people is my mom.
—Remy Blumenfeld, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Nov. 2024
Prep the eyes with the eye patches recommended above to enhance the brightening effect and keep things set throughout the day by tapping on the lightest wisp of moisturizer from your ring finger.
—Jessica Ourisman, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
Verb
Tropical trade winds blow in a band across the equator, spinning off cyclones and storms, which wisp away and scatter into westerly currents.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 17 Dec. 2015
Then, the wind will wisp them away on a strand of silk, carrying them to new regions, or even states, reports Live Science.
—Rasha Aridi, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Nov. 2021
See all Example Sentences for wisp
Dictionary Entries Near wisp
Cite this Entry
“Wisp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wisp. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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