cry

1 of 2

verb

cried; crying

transitive verb

1
: to utter loudly : shout
He cried "Wait!" but it was too late.
2
archaic : beg, beseech
3
: to proclaim publicly : advertise
cry their wares

intransitive verb

1
: to call loudly : shout
She cried out for help.
2
: to shed tears often noisily : weep, sob
The child began to cry after she dropped her ice-cream cone.
3
: to utter a characteristic sound or call
heard the seagulls crying
4
: to require or suggest strongly a remedy or disposition (see disposition sense 2b)
… there are a hundred things which cry out for planning …Roger Burlingame

cry

2 of 2

noun

plural cries
1
: an instance of crying: such as
a
: an inarticulate utterance of distress, rage, or pain
b
obsolete : outcry, clamor
2
a
obsolete : proclamation
b
cries plural, Scotland : banns
3
: entreaty, appeal
a cry for help
4
: a loud shout
5
6
a
: common report
b
: a general opinion
7
: the public voice raised in protest or approval
8
: a fit of weeping
9
: the characteristic sound or call of an animal
10
a
: a pack of hounds
b(1)
: pursuit
used in the phrase in full cry
hounds in full cry
(2)
: a peak of activity or excitement
used in the phrase in full cry
a campaign in full cry
Phrases
cry havoc
: to sound an alarm
cry over spilled milk
: to express vain regrets for what cannot be recovered or undone
You made a mistake, but there's no use crying over spilled milk.
cry wolf
: to give alarm unnecessarily
News organizations have been warned not to cry wolf.

Examples of cry in a Sentence

Verb The baby is crying. Is she okay? Some people cry more easily than others. He cried silently while the song played. She cried all the way home from school that day. She couldn't imagine why anyone would cry over a stupid movie. She was crying with relief. They cried tears of joy. “Help,” he cried, “Get a doctor! Quick!” I heard someone cry “Wait!” but the train pulled away anyway. She'd never heard the sound of sea gulls crying by the shore. Noun The baby's cry woke me out of a deep sleep. There was a cry of “Fire” and we all rushed for the exits. The children were playing a game and their happy cries echoed through the house. the wild cry of a coyote
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Kaylor’s wife and his friends and family also broke down crying. Emma Epperly, Idaho Statesman, 25 Mar. 2024 Denlinger, a fourth grade teacher at Mount Healthy South Elementary School, returned to her seat audibly crying and hugging her coworkers. The Enquirer, 25 Mar. 2024 Sometimes there’s people crying at the end of the play in the audience. Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2024 They could be seen crying when photos of their father’s bloody body were shown on a screen to the jury. Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 23 Mar. 2024 Hawkes borrowed his father’s phone under false pretenses to send the photos, the AP reported, and the 15-year-old girl began crying upon receiving the unsolicited images. Maham Javaid, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024 Dern, too, cites Bridesmaids as an example of Wiig’s skill, but using a dramatic scene, one where Annie is crying alone on her sofa after having alienated her friends. Rebecca Keegan, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2024 Ryan’s mother sat nearby on a trailer parked in the driveway crying and watching as deputies tended to the boy’s wounds and performed CPR. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 According to the Humane Society of the United States, some signs that an animal may need help include shivering, an obvious injury like a broken limb, or if it has been seen crying or wandering. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Mar. 2024
Noun
The sad and piercing voice of the funeral crier continued, reciting the phrases over and over, and very soon the cries of women and children filled the night air. Mohammed Naseehu Ali, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024 Early reception suggests that audiences, especially those hankering for a good cry, may respond to the film’s inspirational themes. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024 This wasn’t the first time a singer has made a judge cry on the reality show. Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2024 But in the early hours of Feb. 1, 2018, their daughter entered the world with a powerful cry and a full head of jet-black hair. Megan Molteni, STAT, 21 Feb. 2024 That’s the rallying cry of opponents of a new $60 billion tranche of aid for Ukraine, led by Ohio’s Republican senator, J. D. Vance. Rich Lowry, National Review, 20 Feb. 2024 Keeler: Joel Embiid made a kid cry and lost NBA MVP case to Nuggets star Nikola Jokic in one sad, sorry afternoon Grading The Week: Todd Helton got his Hall of Fame nod. Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 3 Feb. 2024 The loudest cries came from the defendant herself as Jennifer Crumbley struggled to contain herself, sobbing while holding her face in her hands. Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 23 Feb. 2024 By Amanda Mull Last week, as American sports fans’ eyes moved from football to baseball, a great cry—or at least a significant grumble—was heard from MLB players arriving at spring training: The new uniforms are bad. Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English crien, from Anglo-French crier, from Latin quiritare to make a public outcry, perhaps from Quirit-, Quiris, Roman citizen

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French cri, derivative of crier "to cry entry 1"

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cry was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near cry

Cite this Entry

“Cry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cry. Accessed 10 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

cry

1 of 2 verb
cried; crying
1
: to call loudly : shout
2
: to shed tears often noisily : weep, bawl
3
: to utter a special sound or call
4
: to make known to the public
5
: to suggest strongly a need
the situation cries out for action

cry

2 of 2 noun
plural cries
1
: a loud call or shout (as of pain, fear, or joy)
2
: appeal entry 1 sense 2, plea
hear my cry
3
: a fit of weeping
had a good cry
4
: the special sound of an animal (as a bird)
5
6
a
: a pack of hounds
b
: pursuit
used in the phrase in full cry
hounds in full cry
c
: a peak of activity or excitement
used in the phrase in full cry
a campaign in full cry

More from Merriam-Webster on cry

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!