whish 1 of 2

as in whistle
a sound similar to the speech sound \s\ stretched out the whish of tires on wet pavement

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whish

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to hum
to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound seemingly out of nowhere, a baseball whished past my head

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2
as in to hiss
to make a sound like that of stretching out the speech sound \s\ the match whished as it burst into flame

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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 whish
Noun
The Sound: Couple of quick snorts, followed by a long, loud exhale: Whish, whish, pheeeewwwwwt! Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 22 Sep. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whish
Noun
  • The stands emptied quickly after the game’s final whistle.
    Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 21 Feb. 2025
  • After the final whistle, Slot was unable to contain his frustrations with Oliver, confronting him on the field and earning a dismissal alongside his assistant Sipke Hulshoff.
    Gregg Evans, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Not so long ago, Tom Izzo and John Beilein had the rivalry humming, which made Michigan’s recent downturn even starker.
    Austin Meek, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Every hallway hums with reggae, dancehall, lover rock and soca playing through the intercoms, setting the tone for a journey through decades of unforgettable music.
    Melissa Noel, Essence, 13 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Ross Crates, an ecologist at the Australian National University who was not involved in the study, noted that other research had shown that some birds hissed to ward off predators to their nests.
    Kate Golembiewski, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2025
  • The hissing wind pushed black smoke down Temescal Canyon, sending residents choking toward the beach.
    Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The investigation was aided by video taken from another driver, who was inside his Tesla — equipped with a camera that police later accessed — and watched the teen zip by in a Hyundai, according to police.
    Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 2 Feb. 2025
  • Spidey zips, leaps and flips through traffic until his web-shooters run out, forcing him to land on the ground.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • American Maverick McNealy generated some Ryder Cup buzz for himself with eight birdies in his first 11 holes to take an early lead.
    Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Our suite was tucked in the neighboring cove, within earshot of the buzzing beach clubs.
    Rachel Fletcher, Architectural Digest, 20 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The competitive element that fueled the former NHL players in their careers quickly bubbled to the surface.
    Eric Stephens, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
  • The Danish Air Force dispatched an F-16 interceptor, which captured images of what was unmistakably a huge gas leak: escaping methane had turned the water’s surface into a bubbling froth.
    Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Before being sentenced to 38 years in prison for the murder of his third wife, former Bolingbrook police officer Drew Peterson cried, raged and whispered during a 40-minute speech.
    Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Some of the dialogue meets the same fate, mumbled or whispered into the swell of Jed Kurzel’s evocative soundtrack.
    Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 15 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Whish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whish. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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