bleat

1 of 2

verb

ˈblēt 

Northern also

ˈblat 

Southern usually

ˈblāt 

bleated; bleating; bleats

intransitive verb

1

a

: to make the natural cry of a sheep or goat

also : to utter a similar sound

b

: whimper

2

a

: to talk complainingly or with a whine

b

: blather

transitive verb

: to utter in a bleating manner

bleater noun

bleat

2 of 2

noun

1

: the cry of a sheep or goat

also : a similar sound

the bleat of a cell phone

2

: a feeble outcry, protest, or complaint

Synonyms

Verb

• beef
• bellyache
• bitch
• carp
• caterwaul
• complain
• crab
• croak
• fuss
• gripe
• grizzle
• grouch
• grouse
• growl
• grumble
• grump
• holler
• 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

• beef
• bitch
• carp
• complaint
• fuss
• grievance
• gripe
• grouch
• grouse
• grumble
• holler
• kvetch
• lament
• miserere
• moan
• murmur
• plaint
• squawk
• wail
• whimper
• whine
• whinge [British]
• yammer

Examples of bleat in a Sentence

Verb

The lamb bleated as I approached.

“But why can't I go?” she bleated.

The labor union is always bleating about the management.

Noun

a very patient, understanding person who accepts life's inconveniences without a bleat

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Sheep were bleating, kicking, and being hurled in all directions. —Cyril E. Holland, Outdoor Life, 8 May 2025

Then Elliott bashes the bleating thing’s brains in. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2025

Noun

This pageant of puppetry includes a flutter of butterflies, a goat with a plaintive bleat, a menagerie of wild animals and, at one point, a school of glowing fish. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025

Moments later, the bear rushes in, bites the fawn in the back, and violently shakes it as the fawn lets out piercing bleats. —Alice Jones Webb, Outdoor Life, 17 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English bleten, from Old English blǣtan; akin to Latin flēre to weep, Old English bellan to roar — more at bellow

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1508, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for bleat

• beat
• beet
• cheat
• cleat
• creat
• deet
• eat
• feat
• feet
• fleet
• greet
• heat

Kids Definition

bleat

1 of 2 verb

ˈblēt 

1

: to utter a bleat or similar sound

2

: to speak in a bleating way

bleat

2 of 2 noun

: the characteristic cry of a sheep or goat