hoots 1 of 2

noun

plural of hoot
1
as in shouts
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 snorts
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in damns
the smallest amount or part imaginable I don't give a hoot whether you want to go or not—you're going

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

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hoots

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of hoot
1
as in howls

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2
as in jeers

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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 hoots
Noun
There are a few hoots and hollers as the others agree or protest. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2025 Wiseman said to hoots from the crowd of media gathered at the site. — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026 The town hall crowd received my comments with strong clapping and appreciative hoots and hollers. — Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025 There are hoots and hollers from raucous tourists on Bourbon Street, for example. — Matt Alderton, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025 Owl hoots are most effective at striking up turkeys when owls are naturally active, which is around dawn and dusk. — Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026 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 Cowboy and cowgirl hoots and hollers complement the rumbling of the massive animals’ hooves as they’re rounded up into the corrals. — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 28 Dec. 2025 All the segments understand the assignment, aiming primarily to elicit hoots and hollers. — James Grebey, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoots
  1. shouts
  2. snorts
  3. licks
  4. screams
  5. howls
  6. insults
  7. cries
  8. boos
Noun
  • As the judge read out the sentences, shouts of protest rang out from the defendants’ box.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 June 2026
  • The majority of fans on the Long Island, New York property appeared to be pulling against the Colorado native with countless shouts for his golf ball to find bunkers and minor roars after each of his five bogeys during the final round.
    — Mark Harris, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2026
Definition of shouts
Noun
  • The Rodents of Unusual Size that attack Westley in a swamp work because they are played by small men in rodent suits, rather than coolly conjured from pixels; their deliberate artifice is the thrill, and Reiner provided the voice for their hideous snorts.
    — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2025
Definition of snorts
Noun
  • Zachary Stevenson’s performance replicates the nerdy-yet-hip Texan through impressive guitar licks and superb vocals that are equally comfortable with sweet ballads and on-the-edge rockabilly songs.
    — Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026
  • Elk, deer, and buffalo had migrated to and from mineral licks throughout North America for millennia.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
Definition of licks
Noun
  • The delighted screams were coming from a man wearing a Mexico soccer jersey in the first row.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • Alicent fights back and is ultimately rescued by Grand Maester Orwyle, who hears her screams.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 June 2026
Definition of screams
Verb
  • Up in the stands, fans waved their own flags — including some sneaked in over the objections of FIFA and the courts — and wrestled with emotions, as boos, howls and hisses rained down from all corners of the stadium.
    — Rick Maese, Washington Post, 16 June 2026
  • Roaring and grunting, his body sleek with blood and sweat, Conan tussles and grapples with a series of opponents, dominating them all, while an audience of torch-wielding vulgarians shouts and howls at the pit’s lip.
    — Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
Definition of howls
Verb
  • Ohm quickly insults nearly every employee at this small hotel within moments of meeting them, except for the young, pretty bartender, Fiona (Florence Ordesh).
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Saariaho never once loses control of momentum and never insults her own tastefulness.
    — Justin Davidson, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
Definition of insults
Noun
  • As the bodies were returned to their families, cries echoed through the neighborhood.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 July 2026
  • The other was a tearing beauty, a creature so lovely that one look at her sent young men’s blood pressure skyward and set them to uttering wild, hoarse cries and tearing telephone directories apart with the bare hands.
    — John Madson, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026
Definition of cries
Noun
  • Neither team has pressed forward with much conviction in the first 15 minutes, and after some back-and-forth passing on the back line of the Netherlands' defense, boos could be heard from restless spectators in Monterrey.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 30 June 2026
  • Despite being a bargain signing and a key player with two Champions League and three La Liga titles, his relationship with the club and fans has reportedly soured due to recent trophyless seasons and boos.
    — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of boos

Browse Nearby Words

hooting
hoots
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Cite this Entry

“Hoots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoots. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of hoots for Spanish Speakers

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