1
: a small handful (as of hay or straw)
2
a
: 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
3
archaic
: will-o'-the-wisp
wisped; wisping; wisps
1
: to roll into a wisp
2
: to make wisps of
a cigarette wisping smoke at the corner of his mouth—
Raymond Chandler
Raymond Chandler
: to emerge or drift in wisps
her hair began to wisp into her eyes—Mary Manning
Mary ManningExamples 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 WebAlyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 17 May 2024
The former comprises about two-thirds of the blend and makes this whiskey sing with deep notes of char, vanilla, stone fruit, and a smoky wisp on the finish.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 15 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for wisp 
Noun
Though this amethyst shade is nearly undetectable in normal lighting, catching them in the sun will illuminate the wisps of violet intertwined within the black lashes.
—Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 17 May 2024
The former comprises about two-thirds of the blend and makes this whiskey sing with deep notes of char, vanilla, stone fruit, and a smoky wisp on the finish.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 15 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for wisp
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wisp.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near wisp
Cite this Entry
“Wisp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wisp. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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