holler 1 of 2

noun

Definition of hollernext
1
as in shout
a loud vocal expression of strong emotion heard a holler from somewhere in the woods and ran toward it

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2
as in whine
an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment there didn't seem to be a thermostat setting that wouldn't bring a holler from somebody

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holler

2 of 2

verb

ˈhä-lər How to pronounce holler (audio)
1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely another city council meeting with residents hollering about the unsatisfactory collection of garbage

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2
as in to shout
to speak so as to be heard at a distance there's no need to holler; I'm in the next room

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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 holler
Noun
Their hoots and hollers drowned Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s explanation of how a title defense fell short. — Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 31 May 2026 Blues developed after the Civil War (1861–65) and was influenced by 19th-century work songs and field hollers, minstrel show music, ragtime, and church music such as spirituals and hymns, as well as the folk and popular music of white Southerners. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 May 2026
Verb
As players and coaches hooted and hollered for Richman’s win, Mills socked a cheering Richman with a right hook to his facemask. — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 13 Aug. 2026 Nearby, other passengers screamed and hollered for their lives. — Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for holler
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holler
  1. shout
  2. whine
  3. complain
  4. yell
  5. howl
  6. moan
  7. scream
  8. cry
Noun
  • The shouts of rejection came in part because there was a plausible scenario under which James would have opened the season at Madison Square Garden in a Knicks uniform.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • No day in Gaza is normal, but Friday stood out for its shouts of delight as athletes pulled trucks, flipped massive tires and heaved weights in a strength competition that drew cheering crowds.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of shout
Noun
  • Our Chesapeake Bay Retriever dog saw them too and enthusiastically let out a small whine.
    — Kody Lostroh, Denver Post, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The mystic whine of Christine Ott and Mathieu Gabry’s score carries us into a hidden world of ancient Thai deities living inside the mountain’s caves and tunnels.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of whine
Verb
  • That March, a seventy-year-old patient from a wealthy Cypriot family, Evie Lanitis, arrived at BioMed, complaining of a host of minor maladies, including bursitis in her toes, dental pain, and digestive issues.
    — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In the days before the spill was announced, residents complained of fuel-like odors pervading areas of Dubai and north.
    — Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of complain
Verb
  • Northwestern coach Chris Collins yells to his players during a Big Ten Tournament game March, 12, 2026, at the United Center.
    — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The witness told police that Simpson struck Hampton several times while yelling at her to leave.
    — Briauna Brown, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of yell
Noun
  • When the sun goes down, the wind picks up in central New Mexico, whipping through arid canyons with a ghostly howl that for centuries, locals have likened to the wails of the folkloric ghost La Llorona.
    — Sara Herschander, Vox, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The second slide was a video (without sound) of the couple’s first kiss, which King prefaced with what looked like a howl of joy, followed by a series of passionate kisses and an arms-in-the-air yelp from the groom.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of howl
Noun
  • Bel’s father took a long look at Conner’s painting, then let out a loud moan and wept.
    — Edwidge Danticat, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Lori can hardly speak, relying on a young nurse who sits at her side to translate her low, pained moans.
    — Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of moan
Verb
  • A little girl pounding her fists and screaming; none of the visitors nor the staff were allowed to hold her to provide comfort.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Rays third baseman Junior Caminero screamed in the dugout after Milwaukee had rallied to tie the game.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of scream
Verb
  • Children crowded the play areas, despite the damp, gray weather, shrieking with joy (and in one instance, crying).
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Several jurors cried after viewing autopsy photos of Hedgepeth, according to local media accounts.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of cry

Browse Nearby Words

holistic
holler
hollered
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Cite this Entry

“Holler.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holler. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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