cries 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of cry
1
as in sobs
to shed tears often while making meaningless sounds as a sign of pain or distress some kids started to cry even before the doctor had given them their shot

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2
as in sings
to utter one's distinctive animal sound we knew that we were getting very close to the ocean when we could hear sea gulls crying

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3
as in shouts
to speak so as to be heard at a distance a mother crying for help

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cries

2 of 2

noun

plural of cry
1
as in howls
a loud vocal expression of strong emotion a cry of despair arose when the smoke of the bomb blast cleared

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in calls
a natural vocal sound made by an animal the lonesome cry of a coyote

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3
as in slogans
an attention-getting word or phrase used to publicize something (as a campaign or product) "A chance to change America" was the cry on which the candidate was hoping to win the White House

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4
as in appeals
an earnest request the king was deaf to their cries

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5
as in screams
a sudden short emotional utterance cries of disbelief greeted the announcement of the surprise winner for best picture

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cries
Verb
And then there’s the sad, as when Earle cries about her breakup or reveals that her mother was diagnosed with cancer while Alix was competing on Dancing With the Stars. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026 Residents and volunteers formed human chains, while others stood silently nearby, listening for tapping sounds or cries from below. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026 If your child cries, remember that many children settle soon after a parent leaves. — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 6 Aug. 2026 In reference to the question that ran on June 30 about the dog that grabs a toy, runs, and then cries, our 6-1/2-year-old goldendoodle does this too. — Cathy M. Rosenthal, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026 In another concert, Mikis Theodorakis comes on stage with his son, and my father cries again. — Literary Hub, 20 July 2026 Since 2018, Microsoft has answered those curmudgeons’ cries with the Surface Laptop line, now in its eighth generation. — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 9 July 2026 Jennifer Brook cries her own tears for her husband. — Dawn White, CBS News, 28 May 2026 By the beginning of the second episode, Margo has dropped out of school and is the totally broke single mother to a colicky baby, Bodhi, who cries so committedly that two of Margo’s roommates move out. — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
This seven-year-old girl pulled from the rubble after rescue workers heard her cries. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 Like with Yates, there have been cries of outrage at Clancy's actions. — Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 In a video that began circulating online, at least five officers can be seen, and shrieks, screams, and cries are heard. — Briauna Brown, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 These developments prompted more cries of outrage, including one from the Democratic senator Mark Warner, who has introduced a bill that would ban social-media companies from selling fast access to accounts of government employees. — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 That kind of front-loading also gives parents a buffer if a child freezes up, cries or needs an extra hug before heading out. — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 10 Aug. 2026 For all its characteristic restraint and formal diligence, Killing Spree is a book that wants to make noise, to cut through the dead air with cries of grief and rage, undoing our own savage torpor. — Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026 Martin was then immediately handcuffed and arrested as the little girl’s cries were heard from inside the car. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 2 Aug. 2026 Some 30 seconds into flight, lightning struck the rocket, leading to awestruck cries from crowds gathered nearby to watch the launch. — Brett Tingley, Space.com, 24 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cries
  1. sobs
  2. sings
  3. shouts
  4. howls
  5. calls
  6. slogans
  7. appeals
  8. screams
Verb
  • The dramatic clip finds Reid and a male love interest performing an armed robbery at a convenience store before enjoying a romance and running from the cops — who ultimately cuff the man in the end, as the Missing star sobs in fear.
    — Jack Irvin, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
  • Her endless screams and sobs echo back to the agonized wailing of The Mist’s David Drayton, who murdered his child and friends for nothing.
    — Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Definition of sobs
Verb
  • In the 1974 song, Parton sings about a woman flirting with her man.
    — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 26 Aug. 2026
  • With his raspy and raw vocals, the young talent sings about his real-life experiences in search of an organic connection with his community.
    — Tere Aguilera, Billboard, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of sings
Verb
  • That video shows three boys scrubbing the floor and walls of a room in the school with rags as Morrison shouts commands and admonishments.
    — Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 24 July 2026
  • In the background, an adult voice shouts at the bear, helping to scare the animal off.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Definition of shouts
Noun
  • Their chorus of howls and yowls was all that kept them connected to the hunters who lagged far behind.
    — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Somewhere in the heated mist hovered the howls of Albert Ayler and the clarion call of his brother Donald’s trumpet, followed by the Ornette Coleman Quartet, saluting him with joyous cacophony.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 21 July 2026
Definition of howls
Noun
  • The Sun conjoins Mercury in Virgo and your 3rd House of Communication, sharpening texts, calls, emails, errands, sibling dynamics, and daily logistics.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Bullish calls are trading notably more expensive than puts, and the ratio of open call contracts to puts suggests traders are more actively preparing for a rally than a sell-off.
    — Oliver Renick, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of calls
Noun
  • The official account for the Pentagon’s chief technology officer, Emil Michael, has posted propaganda using Q catchphrases as military slogans.
    — Matthew N. Hannah, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Safal Prakash Shrestha/NurPhoto/Getty Protesters shouted slogans denouncing the police and government over alleged delays in taking action to find the missing girl, and then to find the perpetrators.
    — Arshad R. Zargar, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of slogans
Noun
  • Keep photos, serial numbers, maintenance receipts and technician notes because these only strengthen claims and appeals.
    — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Habeas petitions are often filed as a last resort and to protect against unlawful confinement after appeals are exhausted, as happened after Maxwell’s conviction and sentencing.
    — Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of appeals
Noun
  • Additionally, the park is working to address noise complaints from neighbors, over the screams of enthusiastic riders.
    — Eve Chen, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Alexis Rowan, 27, survived the northern Arizona mountain-hike attack only because of screams that were heard by a woman in a nearby home, forcing the suspect to flee, harrowing doorbell camera footage showed.
    — Eric Mack, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of screams

Browse Nearby Words

criers
cries
cries down
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Cite this Entry

“Cries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cries. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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