Hiss: meaning, definitions and examples

Use when describing a sound similar to steam escaping or someone speaking angrily under their breath.

• The radiator began to hiss, signaling it was heating up
• 'You'll regret this,' he hissed through his teeth

A formal term describing the act of making a hissing sound. Often used in literature or technical descriptions.

• 'Be quiet,' she sibilated, her eyes narrowing
• The tires sibilated softly on the wet road

Use when referring to speaking very softly without vibration of the vocal cords, often to keep a conversation private.

• They began to whisper so the others wouldn't hear
• 'I love you,' he whispered in her ear

This duplicate appears due to input error. The context and examples will be similar to the previous 'hiss'.

This term is more technical or academic, often used in phonetics or linguistics to describe a sound characterized by a hissing quality, like the 's' or 'sh' sound in speech.

• The teacher explained that the 's' in 'snake' is a sibilant sound.
• Linguists study sibilant sounds to understand speech patterns better.

Typically used to describe an ongoing process or continuous sound, like steam escaping or a snake in a defensive posture. It can also refer to people expressing disapproval or anger in a drawn-out manner.

• I noticed the hissing of steam from the broken pipe.
• The audience began hissing at the performer after a bad joke.