- to make the hissing sound characteristic of frying fat
- informal to be very hot
- informal to be very angry
- a hissing sound
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
siz•zle /ˈsɪzəl/USA pronunciation
v., -zled, -zling, n.
v. [no object]
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026v. [no object]
- to make a hissing sound, as in frying;
crackle:The bacon sizzled in the frying pan. - Informal Termsto be very hot:The summer sidewalks were sizzling.
- Informal Termsto be very angry:The boss is sizzling.
n. [countable]
- a sizzling sound.
siz•zle
(siz′əl),USA pronunciation v., -zled, -zling, n.
v.i.
v.t.
n.
siz′zler, n.
siz′zling•ly, adv.
v.i.
- to make a hissing sound, as in frying or burning.
- Informal Termsto be very hot:It's sizzling out.
- Informal Termsto be very angry;
harbor deep resentment:I'm still sizzling over that insult.
v.t.
- to fry or burn with or as if with a hissing sound:to sizzle steaks on the grill; The sun sizzles the pavement.
n.
- a sizzling sound.
- 1595–1605; imitative; see -le
siz′zling•ly, adv.
- 1. sputter, spatter, crackle, hiss.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
sizzle /ˈsɪzəl/ vb (intransitive)
'sizzle' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):