whish 1 of 2

as in whistle
a sound similar to the speech sound \s\ stretched out the whish of tires on wet pavement

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whish

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to hum
to fly, turn, or move rapidly with a fluttering or vibratory sound seemingly out of nowhere, a baseball whished past my head

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2
as in to hiss
to make a sound like that of stretching out the speech sound \s\ the match whished as it burst into flame

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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 whish
Noun
The Sound: Couple of quick snorts, followed by a long, loud exhale: Whish, whish, pheeeewwwwwt! Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 22 Sep. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whish
Noun
  • After the final whistle blew at Memorial Stadium, Kiffin made some headlines for his postgame behavior toward an Oklahoma player.
    Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
  • The fan, wearing a purple sweatshirt, ran onto the court after a whistle and headed straight toward Mitchell with a phone in his hand.
    Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Getting Matthews humming with confidence and getting that shot off is part of what the Leafs need right now.
    Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Massive defense spending has propped up growth, kept factories humming, and pushed unemployment lower, while Moscow has relied on allies like China for goods no longer available from the West.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Some hissing or growling is normal, but separate them if aggression escalates.
    Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
  • My pal was in deep slumber, breathed through this kind of hissing accordion.
    Sam Lipsyte, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Alijah Martin, the Raptors rookie on a two-way contract who was not active for the game, wore a white Blue Jays jersey underneath his zip-up with a new Jays cap.
    Eric Koreen, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • From a wildly popular $12 hoodie with more than 117,000 five-star ratings to various zip-up and crewneck styles, these sweatshirts offer endless outfit possibilities — whether styled with jeans or joggers or layered under a jacket.
    Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Days before, the city was buzzing with intense preparations and great anticipation.
    Laura Gómez, Billboard, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Among A-list sightings that had the whole crowd buzzing was Hailey Bieber and Miley Cyrus, who sat beside each other in matching leather looks.
    Christian Allaire, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • What epic tales might try to picture the explosion of the supervolcano in the Rocky Mountains and the gigantic crater lake of bubbling acid that eons ago swallowed places called Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming?
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Bake in preheated oven until apples are tender and filling is bubbling, 45 to 50 minutes, covering edges with foil as needed to prevent any overbrowning.
    Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Just hearing this phrase whispered on the other end of the phone is enough to send a chill up your spine.
    Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Light incense and whisper the names of those who came before you.
    Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Whish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whish. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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