sizzle

/ˈsɪzəl/

/ˈsɪzəl/

Other forms: sizzling; sizzled; sizzles

When things sizzle, they make a sound like the hissing and popping you hear when you fry food in fat. Drop pieces of bacon in a hot pan and they'll sizzle.

A grilled cheese sandwich sizzles in melted butter, and veggie burgers sizzle on a hot grill. You can also use sizzle in a figurative way, when it's so hot that you feel like food in a hot pan: "I'm not going to the pool today, I'll sizzle in the heat." This verb dates from about 1600, and it probably comes from the imitative Middle English sissen.

Definitions of sizzle

1. verb

   make a sound like frying fat
   type of:

   make noise, noise, resound

   emit a noise
2. verb

   burn or sear with a sizzling sound
   “The fat sizzled in the pan”

   type of:

   scorch, sear

   make very hot and dry
3. verb

   seethe with deep anger or resentment
   “She was sizzling with anger”

   type of:

   boil, seethe

   be in an agitated emotional state
4. noun

   a sizzling noise
   type of:

   noise

   sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)