wisp
noun
\ ˈwisp
\
\
Definition of wisp
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: a small handful (as of hay or straw)
2a
: a thin strip or fragment
b
: a thready streak
a wisp of smoke
c
: something frail, slight, or fleeting
a wisp of a girl a wisp of a smile
wisp
verb
wisped;
wisping;
wisps
Definition of wisp (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to roll into a wisp
2
: to make wisps of
a cigarette wisping smoke at the corner of his mouth— Raymond Chandler
: to emerge or drift in wisps
her hair began to wisp into her eyes— Mary Manning
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Other Words from wisp
Noun
wispily
\ ˈwi-spə-lē
\
adverb
\
adverb
wispiness
\ ˈwi-spē-nəs
\
noun
\
noun
wispy
\ ˈwi-spē
\
adjective
\
adjective
Examples of wisp in a Sentence
Noun
Wisps of steam rose up from the teapot. Wisps of cotton candy clung to his mouth.Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The whites are dipped in an extremely light batter and quick-fried just enough to warm up the egg and put on a wisp-thin crust. — al, "Squid Ink happens: Downtown Mobile gets new flavors," 5 Aug. 2019 Vapes have the benefit of being discreet, emitting a relatively weak wisp of vapor and a mild smell that fades quickly. — Naomi Martin, BostonGlobe.com, "The essential guide to buying and consuming pot in Massachusetts," 6 Aug. 2019 Drag your finger along your iPhone’s virtual keyboard, leaving a wisp of a translucent tail in your wake, and form words without furiously finger-pecking at the keys. — Lauren Goode, WIRED, "An iOS 13 Preview: The 7 Top Features Coming to Your iPhone," 25 June 2019 The Panchos – Chucho Navarro, Alfredo Gil and Johnny Albino – offer intimate support, backing the singer with simple guitar and a wisp of percussion. — Randy Cordova, azcentral, "Remembering Eydie Gormé, Trio Los Panchos and the beloved 'Sabor a MÃ’," 21 July 2019 Here's the complete field ] (Photo: Mandi Wright, Detroit Free Press) But an hour south of Grand Blanc, there was a quiet wisp of hope. — Carlos Monarrez, Detroit Free Press, "How Detroit Golf Club landed the PGA Tour's Rocket Mortgage Classic," 23 June 2019 Dip the wisp into the color, drag it through the puddle of lacquer a few times, then touch up the color of the patch. — Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, "Cracked kitchen tiles? Try a patch.," 10 June 2019 For instance, a tiny quote of Chopin in the 21st, a spectral wisp of a phrase on the piano, serves as an eerily eloquent evocation of a past not allowed to be buried. — Mark Swed, latimes.com, "Review: Mirga’s first major recording is a magical debut," 5 June 2019 In the brightening dawn, a wisp of cloud formed above the valley where many of the miners came from. — Carlo Gabuco, National Geographic, "Death rituals help restless spirits find peace in the Philippines," 9 Apr. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Multiple outlets have reported the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, has wisps of reddish hair—which may mean he’s inherited the signature feature of his father, Prince Harry. — Vogue, "Did Archie Mountbatten-Windsor Inherit Prince Harry’s Signature Feature?," 16 Aug. 2019 The gentle breeze of my ceiling fan has wisps of my dark hair dancing back and forth across the left side of my face. — Meryl Davis, SELF, "Meryl Davis: Finding New Purpose After Life as an Olympian," 30 May 2018 Vessel’s 18 bedroom-style songs wisp away like seeds from a dandelion, each subsequent track feeling more fleeting than its predecessor. — Kevin Warwick, Chicago Reader, "Frankie Cosmos delivers another aching, poignant record of two-minute indie-pop songs," 27 Apr. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wisp.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for wisp
wisp
noun
English Language Learners Definition of wisp
: a thin streak of smoke, mist, etc.
: a thin thread or strand of something (such as hair)
: a small amount of something
See the full definition for wisp in the English Language Learners Dictionary
wisp
noun
\ ˈwisp
\
\
Kids Definition of wisp
1
: a thin piece or strand
wisps of hair
2
: a thin streak
wisps of smoke
3
: a small amount of something
There was a wisp of a smile on her face.
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