whinny

1 of 2

verb

whin·​ny ˈ(h)wi-nē How to pronounce whinny (audio)
whinnied; whinnying
Synonyms of whinnynext

intransitive verb

: to neigh especially in a low or gentle way

transitive verb

: to utter with or as if with a whinny

whinny

2 of 2

noun

plural whinnies
1
: the neigh of a horse especially when low or gentle
2
: a sound resembling a neigh

Synonyms of whinny

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Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of whinny in a Sentence

Verb I heard the horse whinnying. the father whinnied and reared as his young daughter pretended to ride him
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Kenny was large for his age, with a flat, flabby face and a high, whinnying voice. — Aryn Kyle, Harper's Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024 That doesn’t include food for the horses, who start whinnying. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 22 Mar. 2024
Noun
Dick gave a whinny and stared at the water. — Dolores Brown, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026 Wild ponies, svelte & savage, graze in dune grasses, whinny, yawn. — J.t. Townley, The New York Review of Books, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for whinny

Word History

Etymology

Verb

probably imitative

First Known Use

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

circa 1823, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of whinny was in 1530

Rhymes for whinny

See All Rhymes for whinny

Browse Nearby Words

whinnock
whinny
whinstone
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whinny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whinny. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

whinny

1 of 2 verb
whin·​ny ˈhwin-ē How to pronounce whinny (audio)
ˈwin-
whinnied; whinnying
: to neigh especially in a low or gentle manner

whinny

2 of 2 noun
plural whinnies
: the neigh of a horse especially when low or gentle

More from Merriam-Webster on whinny

Nglish: Translation of whinny for Spanish Speakers

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