hooted; hooting; hoots
1
: to shout or laugh usually derisively
2
: to make the natural throat noise of an owl or a similar cry
3
: to make a loud clamorous mechanical sound
1
: a sound of hooting
especially
: the cry of an owl
2
: a minimum amount or degree : the least bit
don't give a hoot
3
: something or someone amusing
the play is a real hoot
variants
or hoots
chiefly Scotland
—used to express impatience, dissatisfaction, or objection
Examples of hoot in a Sentence
Verb
We could hear an owl hooting in the woods.
I hooted at the car in front of me.
The crowd booed and hooted when it was announced that the show was canceled.
The crowd hooted its disapproval.
The speaker was hooted off the platform by a small group of protesters.
Noun
The announcement was met with hoots of derision.
the courtroom erupted in hoots of laughter upon hearing the witness's sarcastic retort to the lawyer's arrogant remark
Recent Examples on the Web
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2024
Animals call before eclipse Animals called as the eclipse began, the gibbons started singing and hooting, and the sea lions began vocalizing.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 10 Apr. 2024
T. Nelson Thompson, Baltimore Sun, 14 June 2024
Then the pair began singing a duet that halfway sounded like the soundtrack of a graveyard scene in a movie, but in the daylight, that mix of cackles, hoots, caws, and gurgles felt more like a melody.
—Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 10 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for hoot 
Verb
People throw down headphones and instruments and grab each other, hugging and hooting and doing stupid dances.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2024
Animals call before eclipse Animals called as the eclipse began, the gibbons started singing and hooting, and the sea lions began vocalizing.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 10 Apr. 2024
Noun
Our yips, clicks, chirps, screeches and hoots were seemingly endless.
—T. Nelson Thompson, Baltimore Sun, 14 June 2024
Then the pair began singing a duet that halfway sounded like the soundtrack of a graveyard scene in a movie, but in the daylight, that mix of cackles, hoots, caws, and gurgles felt more like a melody.
—Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 10 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for hoot
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hoot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Hoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoot. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hoot
1 of 2 verb1
: to utter a loud shout usually of scorn
2
: to make the characteristic call of an owl or a similar sound
3
: to drive out by hooting
hooter
noun
hoot
2 of 2 noun1
: a sound of hooting
especially
: the call of an owl
2
: a very small amount
don't give a hoot
3
: an amusing person or thing
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