chirp

1 of 2

verb

chirped; chirping; chirps
1
intransitive : to make a chirp or a sound resembling a chirp
chirping birds
… he had listened many times to the sound of grasshoppers chirping in the grass, and he had always liked the noise that they made.Roald Dahl
… Jesse Levine was luxuriating at home in Boca Raton last month when his cellphone chirped.L. Jon Wertheim
2
transitive : to utter (something) with a cheerful liveliness
She sang three songs … and chirped "Goodbye everybody! See you tomorrow!"Garrison Keillor
3
intransitive informal : to make sharply critical, complaining, or taunting remarks
Emotions boiled over for Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and cornerback Josh Norman after the two chirped at each other consistently for two weeks.Ben Volin
After the fight, which McLeod more or less won, the two chirped at each other in the penalty box …USA Today
… some of his teammates chirped about the officiating …Jack McCallum

chirp

2 of 2

noun

: the characteristic short sharp sound especially of a small bird or insect

Examples of chirp in a Sentence

Verb The birds were chirping in the trees. We heard the crickets chirping.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Because, really, who doesn't love digging into a favorite dish while feeling the breeze against their cheek, the birds chirping, and the grass under their toes? Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2024 For nearly an hour, there were no sounds—no laughs, no cricket chirps, no ticking of a clock. Jack Handey, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024
Noun
Set an alert on your phone. Change batteries as needed: The occasional chirp coming from your smoke detector is more than an annoying sound. Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Oct. 2024 Coming off the clutch in between shifts lets out a nice chirp from the rear tires, and while the flat-four may sound a bit gravelly at idle, its tone turns to a fierce, baritone bark from the midrange until its 7,000 RPM redline. Peter Nelson, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for chirp 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

imitative

First Known Use

Verb

1566, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

circa 1586, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chirp was in 1566

Dictionary Entries Near chirp

Cite this Entry

“Chirp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chirp. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

chirp

verb
ˈchərp
: to make a short sharp sound like a small bird or cricket
chirp noun

More from Merriam-Webster on chirp

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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