sizzle

S1I1Z10Z10L1E1
US/ˈsɪzəl/

verb

To make the sound of water boiling on a hot surface.

“The song sizzled with energy.”

OriginMiddle English sissen →
Less commonScrabble 24
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Meanings

verbsizzle (third-person singular simple present sizzles, present participle sizzling, simple past and past participle sizzled)

present singular third person sizzles · participle present sizzling · participle past sizzled · past sizzled

  1. intransitiveTo make the sound of water boiling on a hot surface.

    The sausages were sizzling on the barbecue.

  2. informaltransitiveTo cook (something) in a manner which causes that sound.

    I sizzled the bacon for a few minutes in the pan.

  3. intransitiveTo be exciting or dazzling.

    The song sizzled with energy.

nounsizzle (countable and uncountable, plural sizzles)

plural sizzles

  1. countableThe sound of water boiling on a hot surface.

    We heard the sizzle of the onions hitting the pan.

  2. countableinformalThe process of being cooked which involves that sound.

    Give them a sizzle for a few more minutes before serving.

  3. uncountableZing, zip, or pizazz; excitement.

    Her performance had a lot of sizzle.

  4. abbreviationcountableellipsisuncountableEllipsis of sizzle reel.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
cracklefizzzizzle

Origin

  1. Middle Englishsissen“to hiss; buzz; hum”
  2. Englishsizzle

Probably a derivative of Middle English sissen (“to hiss; buzz; hum”), equivalent to siss + -le (frequentative suffix); Ultimately imitative.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian цвъртя, цвърчене
  • цвъртя (cvărtja)to make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • цвърчене (cvărčene)the sound of water hitting a hot surface
Catalan espurnejar
  • espurnejarto make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
Chinese Mandarin 嘯 /啸, 噝 /咝
  • 嘯 /啸 (xiào)to make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • 噝 /咝 (sī)to make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • 噝噝作響 /咝咝作响 (sīsīzuòxiǎng)the sound of water hitting a hot surface
Czech zasyčet, zasyčení
  • zasyčetto make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • zasyčeníthe sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • popraskzing, zip, or pizazz; excitement
  • rozruchzing, zip, or pizazz; excitement
Dutch sissen, zinderen
  • sissento make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • zinderento be exciting or dazzling
Finnish kihistä, sihistä
  • kihistäto make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • sihistäto make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • säkenöidäto be exciting or dazzling
  • kihinäthe sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • sihinäthe sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • säpinäzing, zip, or pizazz; excitement
French grésiller, grésillement
  • grésillerto make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • grésillementthe sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • grésillerzing, zip, or pizazz; excitement
German zischen, brutzeln
  • zischento make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • brutzelnto cook in a manner which causes sizzling
  • Zischenthe sound of water hitting a hot surface
Hungarian sistereg, sistergés
  • sisteregto make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • sistergésthe sound of water hitting a hot surface
Italian sfrigolare, gorgogliare
  • sfrigolareto make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • gorgogliareto make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
Japanese シューシューいう音
  • シューシューいう音 (shūshū iu oto)the sound of water hitting a hot surface
Māori hihī, hihī
  • hihīto make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • hihīthe sound of water hitting a hot surface
Polish skwierczeć, skwierczenie
  • skwierczećto make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • skwierczeniethe sound of water hitting a hot surface
Portuguese chiar, chiado
  • chiarto make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • chiadothe sound of water hitting a hot surface
Russian шипе́ть, шкварча́ть
  • шипе́ть (šipétʹ)to make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • шкварча́ть (škvarčátʹ)to make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • шипе́ние (šipénije)the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • шкварча́ние (škvarčánije)the sound of water hitting a hot surface
Slovak škvrčať, škvrčanie
  • škvrčaťto make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • škvrčaniethe sound of water hitting a hot surface
Spanish chisporrotear, chirriar
  • chisporrotearto make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • chirriarto make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • chirriarthe sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • chirridozing, zip, or pizazz; excitement
Turkish cızırdamak, cızırdama
  • cızırdamakto make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • cızırdamathe sound of water hitting a hot surface
Ukrainian шкварча́ти
  • шкварча́ти (škvarčáty)to make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
Vietnamese xèo xèo, tiếng xèo
  • xèo xèoto make the sound of water hitting a hot surface
  • tiếng xèothe sound of water hitting a hot surface

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with sizzle

chiseldrizzlefizzleswizzlefrizzlegrizzlepizzleBrizzlecrizzle-izzlemislemizzle
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

sizzle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sizzle

MLA

“sizzle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sizzle. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sizzle,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sizzle.

Source: sizzle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.