sizzle

[ siz-uhl ]

verb (used without object)

sizzled, sizzling.

1. to make a hissing sound, as in frying or burning.

   Synonyms: hiss, crackle, spatter, sputter

2. Informal. to be very hot:

   It's sizzling out.

3. Informal. to be very angry; harbor deep resentment:

   I'm still sizzling over that insult.

verb (used with object)

sizzled, sizzling.

1. to fry or burn with or as if with a hissing sound:

   to sizzle steaks on the grill; The sun sizzles the pavement.

noun

1. a sizzling sound.

sizzle

/ ˈsɪzəl /

verb

1. to make the hissing sound characteristic of frying fat
2. informal.
   to be very hot
3. informal.
   to be very angry

noun

1. a hissing sound

Other Word Forms

• sizzler noun
• sizzling·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of sizzle¹

1595–1605; imitative; -le

Word History and Origins

Origin of sizzle¹

C17: of imitative origin. Compare siss (now dialect) to hiss, West Frisian size, siizje. See also fizz and fizzle

Example Sentences

It’s a movie where music sizzles and wails out of every pore.

From Los Angeles Times

Zach Johnson, the 2007 Masters champion, came into the day at two over par but finished in solid position at minus-4 after shooting a sizzling 66, his best round ever at Augusta National.

From Los Angeles Times

GGB is clearly pitched at young single women, as evidenced by the "sizzle reels" advertising their live shows, which almost exclusively showcase female fans in their teens and early 20s.

From Salon

When Mom thought the oil was close, she would flick a little flour into it, and if it sizzled and shimmied just right, she knew it was ready.

From Salon

The brief sizzle is fueled by a peaking high-pressure ridge, along with an offshore flow that is pulling hot air from the mountains to the coastal areas, Munroe said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• broil
• crackle
• fizzle
• grill
• roast
• sear
• sputter