as in bubbling
to make a sound like that of stretching out the speech sound \s\
the frightened kitten hissed at us when we tried to pick it up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hissing
Brandon Downs, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Signs that a battery is about to fail include swelling, hissing, popping, an unusual odor and excessive heat, according to a New York Division of Homeland Security battery consumer guide.
—Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
And there’s a constant hissing noise around it.
—JSTOR Daily, 25 Nov. 2025
Noise of trees crackling and sap hissing, branches thumping down, timber being dragged and chopped.
—Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
Elsa Lanchester’s performance as the hissing, glamorous Bride — which was inspired, in part, by swans at the zoo — is fabulous as well, making a legendary impression with only seven minutes of screen time.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Steam was rising out of the hissing showers nearby, and there was Josh Allen slumped on a stool in front of his locker, looking like a club fighter from Jersey who had picked the wrong opponent for a payday.
—Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
According to a blog post from The Spruce Pets, a new kitten can cause a lot of stress for an older cat, leading to behaviors like hissing, reclusiveness or even a sudden change in eating habits.
—Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Aug. 2025
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2026
Growling, hissing and swiping, Scooter charged at a glass door, holding its ground as the bears lingered just outside.
—Ronnie Li, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Then there's hissing through the air vents.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
Rising from the center of the bay is a Star Wars-style cockpit, neon-lit and hissing as the door opens to reveal a dashboard equipped with self-flying software.
—Noelle Harff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, the Bronx Zoo in New York has revived its annual tradition of naming one of the zoo’s thousands of Madagascar hissing cockroaches for $15.
—Julian Torres, CNN Money, 14 Feb. 2026
Why Madagascar hissing cockroaches are actually romantic Naming a roach for Valentine’s Day is a great gag, but also these critters are capable of hissing their way into your heart.
—Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
If the pressure relief valve begins hissing or spraying water, then something is wrong.
—Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 28 Jan. 2026
Donors symbolically adopt and name a Madagascar hissing cockroach after a loved one, an ex, or anyone who deserves to be immortalized with a hiss and receive a certificate with your proof of naming for $15.
—Dianne Plummer, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
At one point, he was seen walking toward an SUV's rear passenger side tire when agents heard a pop and a loud hissing noise.
—Brandon Downs, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Signs that a battery is about to fail include swelling, hissing, popping, an unusual odor and excessive heat, according to a New York Division of Homeland Security battery consumer guide.
—Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
And there’s a constant hissing noise around it.
—JSTOR Daily, 25 Nov. 2025
Noise of trees crackling and sap hissing, branches thumping down, timber being dragged and chopped.
—Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
Elsa Lanchester’s performance as the hissing, glamorous Bride — which was inspired, in part, by swans at the zoo — is fabulous as well, making a legendary impression with only seven minutes of screen time.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Steam was rising out of the hissing showers nearby, and there was Josh Allen slumped on a stool in front of his locker, looking like a club fighter from Jersey who had picked the wrong opponent for a payday.
—Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
According to a blog post from The Spruce Pets, a new kitten can cause a lot of stress for an older cat, leading to behaviors like hissing, reclusiveness or even a sudden change in eating habits.
—Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Aug. 2025
Verb
This behavior may include stamping its feet, raising its tail, or hissing.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2026
Growling, hissing and swiping, Scooter charged at a glass door, holding its ground as the bears lingered just outside.
—Ronnie Li, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Then there's hissing through the air vents.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
Rising from the center of the bay is a Star Wars-style cockpit, neon-lit and hissing as the door opens to reveal a dashboard equipped with self-flying software.
—Noelle Harff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, the Bronx Zoo in New York has revived its annual tradition of naming one of the zoo’s thousands of Madagascar hissing cockroaches for $15.
—Julian Torres, CNN Money, 14 Feb. 2026
Why Madagascar hissing cockroaches are actually romantic Naming a roach for Valentine’s Day is a great gag, but also these critters are capable of hissing their way into your heart.
—Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
If the pressure relief valve begins hissing or spraying water, then something is wrong.
—Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 28 Jan. 2026
Donors symbolically adopt and name a Madagascar hissing cockroach after a loved one, an ex, or anyone who deserves to be immortalized with a hiss and receive a certificate with your proof of naming for $15.
—Dianne Plummer, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hissing
Noun
-
The anger builds, leading to louder and more frequent booing.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Among the many rules at Augusta National — no cell phones, no booing, no lying in the grass — patrons are not allowed to run.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Doctors noted a crackling sound, suggesting gases bubbling out of his dying flesh, and some of the outer layers of skin were peeling off.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Recorded on five reel-to-reel decks, the composer’s 1975 piece blends everyday and exotic sounds—human breath, cheeping frogs, bubbling geysers—into a passionate defense of the raptures of listening.—
Joshua Minsoo Kim,
Pitchfork,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Apple's implementation is natural and consistent, without the hiss introduced by Bose and Sony.—
Christian de Looper,
PC Magazine,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Workers load stacks of textiles onto belts that move them through the scanner, which emits a sharp hiss while reading the textiles’ composition.—
Tian MacLeod Ji,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Till the final whistle, or James’ final words, leaving Toyota Center on Friday with a controlling advantage en route to a potential second-round showdown with the defending champs, that desperation was evident.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The scrums and after-whistle activity that defined the first period of Game 2 and much of Game 1 simply were not there in Game 3, with the Lightning seemingly content to play between the whistles in an effort to avoid handing the Canadiens power plays in bunches.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Oregon Zoo’s official TikTok account posted footage of a bear swishing around in a tub filled with ice and water, rolling on his back and kicking his feet before shaking water off.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The Illinois freshman then spun to his left and hopped back behind the 3-point line, swishing his second 3-pointer of the night.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While some celebrants have greeted these caricatures with cathartic jeers and sneers, others are shocked and outraged.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2026
-
From the sneer of Billy Idol to the smooth sashaying of Sade, the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees amplify the institution’s commitment to recognizing a diverse slate.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The terrain is mostly flat, and there are plenty of electric buggies for whizzing around.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Nobody wants pedestrians doing selfies in the middle of DuSable Lake Shore Drive, cars whizzing by.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
For her part, the first lady nearly managed a smirk.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Apr. 2026
-
In those heady decades of postmodern language-play and seductive irresolution, claims for literature as a force for truth and justice would likely be dismissed, with a smirk, as humanist pieties.—
Charlie Tyson,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hissing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hissing. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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