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
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2025
That day in April, as the moon crossed between the sun and Earth, causing a total solar eclipse, the quiet erupted into hooting and hollering.
—Riley Robinson, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Dec. 2024
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2025
Gervais is a hoot, going broad with his slippery antagonist’s freewheeling nonsense.
—Courtney Howard, Variety, 29 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hoot 
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
Those tend to not have much applause or anybody hooting and hollering.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2025
That day in April, as the moon crossed between the sun and Earth, causing a total solar eclipse, the quiet erupted into hooting and hollering.
—Riley Robinson, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Dec. 2024
Noun
The supporting cast around them is more successful in actually eliciting laughs: Tatro is the film’s exotic-dancing voice of reason, Leanne Morgan plays Margot’s scene-stealing, raunchy older sister, and Celia Weston is a hoot as their tough-love mom.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2025
Gervais is a hoot, going broad with his slippery antagonist’s freewheeling nonsense.
—Courtney Howard, Variety, 29 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hoot
Articles Related to hoot
Dictionary Entries Near hoot
Cite this Entry
“Hoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoot. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share