hoot 1 of 2

1
as in shout
a loud vocal expression of strong emotion the courtroom erupted in hoots of laughter upon hearing the witness's sarcastic retort to the lawyer's arrogant remark

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in snort
a vocal sound made to express scorn or disapproval he ignored the hoots and jeers coming from the back of the crowd and kept on speaking until he'd had his say

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
as in scream
someone or something that is very funny that stand-up comic is a hoot

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hoot

2 of 2

verb

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 hoot
Noun
Fans show up to the Cowboy Carter tour in thoughtful, inventive takes on Western Americana fashion, stadiums filled with denim, bandanas, cowboy hats, and looks that don’t just scream U.S.A but hoot and holler. Leah Faye Cooper, Vogue, 4 July 2025 Each proud declaration elicited raucous clapping and hooting from the crowd. Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 15 May 2025
Verb
The town hall crowd received my comments with strong clapping and appreciative hoots and hollers. Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025 And Mike Nappi is a hoot as Beau’s brother Peanut, who’s something like one of Shakespeare’s wise fool, spinning out truth-telling one-liners all night long. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hoot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoot
Noun
  • There were shouts and even a near miss from a water pistol.
    Judith Martin, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2025
  • An eclectic mix of Web3-native headlines, from sales stats to upcoming events to brief artist shout outs, make this missive a must-read for any follower of the tokenized digital art community.
    Ana María Caballero, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The upgraded exhaust system is a delight, burbling happily at idle, accompanying acceleration with a happy snort.
    Mark Phelan, Freep.com, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Rapace’s response externalizes four different beats, from a snort to a tear, astonishment to anger.
    Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Even for those in the North who didn’t care a damn for the four million held in brutal bondage, or those who wanted a soft, conciliatory approach, the war began to take on new and moral meaning.
    Jack Sheehan September 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
  • At the start, the project required building a damn to drain the water from the facade.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Voices gasped, exhaled for a beat, then rose up in screams of horror.
    Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
  • In fact, the night’s singer-guitarist sang all the hits of the ‘00s and nearly everyone was scream-singing along.
    Tim McGovern, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The pair is seen crawling through a wildflower field, dancing, and jumping, but also hollering at each other, brandishing knives, and at some point, Lawrence licks a window with zeal.
    Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Martin was onstage with Sweeney, Michôd and the rest of the cast as the Princess of Wales Theatre crowd hollered.
    Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Some drivers also insult and demean people with disabilities or refuse reasonable requests such as letting passengers with mobility impairments sit in the front seat.
    Reuters, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
  • These summaries read like a bad high school essay and insult your audience's intelligence.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The wind’s howl filled my left ear and the music blasted from my speakers filled my right.
    Manuel Muñoz, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
  • In addition to the winners, the brewery will offer consolation prizes to participants with the best costume, the slowest race time and the best howl.
    Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Jacob sneers, but doesn’t even wait for his son to answer.
    Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 15 Aug. 2025
  • The single, meanwhile, is ushered in with a gripping bass line and an undercurrent of keyboards until Osbourne makes his grand vocal entrance, all sneers and snarls.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 23 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoot. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on hoot

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!