holler

1 of 3

verb

hol·​ler ˈhä-lər 

hollered; hollering ˈhä-lə-riŋ 

ˈhäl-riŋ

intransitive verb

1

: to cry out (as to attract attention or in pain) : shout

hollering for help

2

: gripe, complain

will always holler about tax increases

transitive verb

: to call out (a word or phrase)

hollering her daughter's name

holler

2 of 3

noun

1

: shout, cry

give a holler if you need any help

2

: complaint

3

: an African American work song freely improvised usually in terms of the particular occupation of the moment and often without words

a cornfield holler

holler

3 of 3

chiefly dialectal variant of hollow

Synonyms

Verb

• beef
• bellyache
• bitch
• bleat
• carp
• caterwaul
• complain
• crab
• croak
• fuss
• gripe
• grizzle
• grouch
• grouse
• growl
• grumble
• grump
• inveigh
• keen
• kick
• kvetch
• maunder [chiefly British]
• moan
• murmur
• mutter
• nag
• repine
• scream
• squawk
• squeal
• wail
• whimper
• whine
• whinge [British]
• yammer
• yawp
• yaup
• yowl

Noun

• cry
• hoot
• howl
• shout
• whoop
• yell
• yowl

Examples of holler in a Sentence

Verb

He was hollering across the fields to his workers.

They were screaming and hollering at each other all night.

She hollered across the street, “Did you hear the news?”.

Someone was hollering my name.

People always holler about tax increases.

Noun

heard a holler from somewhere in the woods and ran toward it

there didn't seem to be a thermostat setting that wouldn't bring a holler from somebody

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

These bites of heaven get a double layer of cheesy goodness that's enough to make a Southern crowd holler. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2024

On Thursday, Wallace could be heard hollering alerts, other defensive backs were calling out coverages and defensive linemen were jawing back and forth with Tennessee’s front. —Michael-Shawn Dugar, The Athletic, 15 Aug. 2024

Noun

But methamphetamine is the constant, hiding in the hollers and bridging generations. —John Branch, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2024

Loading your audio article MORGANTOWN, W.V. — Somewhere deep in West Virginia’s hollers under a cold and dismal gray sky, UCF’s season ended. —Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel, 23 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

alteration of hollo

First Known Use

Verb

1592, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

holler

verb

hol·​ler

ˈhäl-ər

hollered; hollering

-(ə-)riŋ

1

: to cry or call out : shout

2

: complain sense 1

holler noun