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

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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

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

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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
Tarantino and Linklater shared a moment before the premiere screening, embracing inside the cinema before the lights went down, which drew hoots and cheers from the crowd. Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2025 Host Michelle Buteau is a hoot, as are tough-but-tender judges Kevin Bludso and Melissa Cookston. Katie Rife, EW.com, 11 May 2025
Verb
For most younger folks, the appearance of a drag queen offers the chance to hoot and holler, to have fun and show some support. Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2025 After the first big song, the couple next to us, stand up and hoot and holler, along with two young women behind them. Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hoot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoot
Noun
  • Listen to this article LONDON (AP) — A 53-year-old British man plowed a minivan into a crowd of Liverpool soccer fans who were celebrating the city’s Premier League championship Monday, injuring more than 45 people as shouts of joy turned into shrieks of terror.
    Brian Melley, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2025
  • Flav took time to give shout outs from the stage to a pair of local hip-hop legends — Too Short and E-40 — the latter of whom would combine forces with the hype man for a cooking demonstration with chef Aaron Sanchez earlier in the day on the Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage.
    Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 24 May 2025
Noun
  • Conclusion: The Crown is made for those who want the reliability of a Toyota SUV minus the snort and belch.
    Josh Max, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
  • The scenes on set in this episode are all comic gold, from Billy dashing to his tent for generous snorts between takes to a musical number that culminates in Teenjus healing a young man who then tosses his crutches away and breakdances.
    Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • And as far as luxurious treats go, well, the afternoon high tea there is not to be missed, and the theme changing monthly offers the strongest argument yet to treat oneself ad infinitum without giving a tinker’s damn about the current economy.
    Timothy DePeugh, Charlotte Observer, 1 May 2025
  • Since the death of Tom Petty meant an end to his primary job in 2017, Tench has still been visible in the background as a member of the house band in practically any tribute show that’s worth a damn.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Like Michael Jackson trading fancy footwork (to rabid audience screams) with his idol James Brown before presenting the Godfather of Soul with BET’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003.
    Gail Mitchell, Billboard, 9 June 2025
  • As the state on Thursday summed up the brutal details that made up the prosecution’s case, a relative walked out of the courtroom with a loud scream, causing Petrone to tell the jury to ignore the outburst.
    Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2025
Verb
  • The crowd, in typical Cannes fashion, hooted and hollered, but just ten minutes later, the movie had started up again.
    Alison Willmore, Vulture, 24 May 2025
  • In the team meeting at the top of NCAA Tournament week, Weekly rolls a montage of the Lady Vols hollering and smiling and acting generally unhinged during games.
    Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • The violence broke out over a video of a man, alleged to be Druze, insulting the prophet Muhammad.
    Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 11 June 2025
  • To many watching, Elon Musk’s decision to publicly insult President Trump seemed self-destructive, if not outright irrational.
    Joel Shulman, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
Noun
  • His voice—typically pitched between a bellow and a sneer—was instantly recognizable to the couple that night.
    Air Mail, Air Mail, 3 May 2025
  • In a movie climate where remakes tend to draw sneers of derision and claims that people have just gotten too lazy to invent anything new, Disney’s remakes of its own products are always a chief target.
    Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 21 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The most memorable offerings didn’t care a whit about product-testing strategies.
    Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025
  • Vie comes on the heels of Doja’s 2023 album Scarlet, whit hit No. 4 on the Billboard 200.
    Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 30 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Hoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoot. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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