hissing: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal to neutral; more common in descriptive or literary contexts.
Quick answer
What does “hissing” mean?
The sound made by a sharp, sustained sibilant, like that of a snake, steam escaping, or a cat showing displeasure.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The sound made by a sharp, sustained sibilant, like that of a snake, steam escaping, or a cat showing displeasure.
An expression of strong disapproval or scorn, often made by an audience, imitating a hissing sound. Also describes any prolonged, sharp 's' or 'sh' sound, often connoting anger, pressure, or leakage.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning. The verb forms (hiss, hissed, hissing) are identical. Minor spelling differences in related words (e.g., 'pressurised' vs. 'pressurized') do not affect 'hissing' itself.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both dialects.
Grammar
How to Use “hissing” in a Sentence
[Subject] + be + hissing (e.g., The radiator is hissing.)[Subject] + start/stop + hissinghear/ listen to + [Object] + hissingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hissing” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The goose was hissing aggressively at the visitors.
- The pressure cooker started hissing ominously.
American English
- The soda can hissed when I opened it.
- The audience hissed the unpopular comedian off the stage.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might describe the sound of a leak (e.g., 'a hissing pipe in the server room') or metaphorically for a failing product launch ('met with hissing from critics').
Academic
Used in literary analysis (e.g., 'the hissing sibilants create a sinister tone'), biology/zoology (animal behaviour), and physics/engineering (describing gas/fluid dynamics).
Everyday
Common for describing household sounds (kettle, radiator, tyre), animal warnings (cat, snake), and crowd disapproval.
Technical
Used in audio engineering (unwanted sibilance), mechanics (air leaks), and chemistry (reactive gases).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hissing”
Strong
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hissing”
- Incorrect: 'The wind was hissing through the trees.' (Better: 'rustling' or 'whistling' unless a sharp 's' sound is meant.)
- Overuse in writing as a dialogue tag (e.g., '"Go away," he hissed.') where the spoken words lack sibilants ('said angrily' is often better).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While strongly associated with snakes, it applies to any sharp, sustained 's' or 'sh' sound (steam, air, cats, a disapproving audience).
Yes, but it is most effective when the spoken words actually contain sibilants (s, sh, z sounds), e.g., '"Silence!" she hissed.' Using it for non-sibilant dialogue can sound odd.
'Hissing' is a sharp, smooth sibilant (like 'ssss'). 'Whistling' is a clearer, more musical tone made by air forced through an aperture. 'Fizzing' implies a rapid series of small, wet popping or bubbling sounds (like soda).
Most often negative or warning. It conveys threat (animal), malfunction (leak), or social rejection (crowd). Rarely neutral, as in describing the sound of a functioning steam iron.
The sound made by a sharp, sustained sibilant, like that of a snake, steam escaping, or a cat showing displeasure.
Hissing is usually informal to neutral; more common in descriptive or literary contexts. in register.
Hissing: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhɪsɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhɪsɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “hissing squad (archaic, a group of theatre-goers who hiss a performance)”
- “more of a hiss and a whistle (a negligible or trivial amount)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
HISSING sounds like a SNAKE SINGING a sharp, angry 'S' song.
Conceptual Metaphor
ANGER IS A PRESSURE/HEAT/SOUND (e.g., 'hissing with rage', 'steam hissing'). DISAPPROVAL IS A PAINFUL SOUND (e.g., 'hissed off the stage').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'hissing' LEAST appropriate?