croon

verb

crooned; crooning; croons

intransitive verb

1
chiefly Scotland : bellow, boom
2
: to sing or speak in a gentle murmuring manner
The mother crooned as she rocked the baby.
especially : to sing in a soft intimate manner adapted to amplifying systems

transitive verb

: to sing (something, such as a popular song or a lullaby) in a crooning manner
croons ballads that conjure up the tenderness of puppy love …Joan Morgan
croon noun

Examples of croon in a Sentence

The mother crooned as she rocked the baby.
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.
In the bit, Rihanna and Ronnie (Andy Samberg) are dropping knowledge to a group of grade schoolers with the singer crooning in her power range as timid Ronnie can barely rise above a whisper to her utter consternation. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2025 Tonatiuh croons a few ballads, though Lopez skillfully takes on most of the heavy musical work. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 Oct. 2025 Singing only in Spanish, the unassuming math teacher crooned his way into our hearts within seconds. Andy Swift, TVLine, 7 Oct. 2025 Mark croons and strums campfire acoustic. Jonathan Terrell, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for croon

Word History

Etymology

Middle English croynen, from Middle Dutch cronen; akin to Old High German crōnen to chatter

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of croon was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Croon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/croon. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

croon

verb
: to hum or sing in a low soft voice
croon a lullaby
croon noun
crooner noun

More from Merriam-Webster on croon

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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