cry out
phrasal verb
cried out; crying out; cries out
1
: to make a loud sound because of pain, fear, surprise, etc.
She cried out in pain.
2
: to speak in a loud voice : to say something loudly or from a distance
We could hear them on the shore crying out to us, so we waved.
She cried out for help.
3
—used to say that something clearly needs or should have a particular thing, person, use, etc. —often + to be
A chair like this cries out to be used, not kept in some museum.
The meal cried out to be eaten with a nice white wine.
—often + forThe meal cried out for a nice white wine.
The job cries out for someone who's not afraid to take chances.
Examples of cry out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the stand of trees, wounded and frightened Russians were probably crying out.
—
Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
Those who spoke at Garcia’s sentencing told harrowing stories of assault, coercion and brutality during the hours-long shoots, when many wept, bled, vomited, cried out in pain or begged for the filming to stop — scenes that were carefully edited from the final video.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024
Your spirit is crying out to you to be the hero of your own story.
—Angela Quach, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
James Crumbley is heard crying out in pain in the video, which shows the couple being handcuffed.
—Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 12 Mar. 2024
None of these are the state’s job, and nobody was crying out for them.
—Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2024
Weathers’ most powerful reactive closeup in the series comes near the end of the fight in Rocky IV, when his wife cries out from the stands, realizing that her husband is overmatched, and Apollo stares back at her helplessly, a prisoner of his neediness and machismo.
—Vulture, 4 Feb. 2024
There are overpowering moments where the screen fills with colour and Mica Levi’s composition cries out for a humanity that the protagonists have denied.
—Hazlitt, 6 Mar. 2024
The multiplicity of programs to deal with homelessness cries out for some kind of independent appraisal of what’s been spent and how effective the spending has been.
—Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 29 Feb. 2024
Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
Those who spoke at Garcia’s sentencing told harrowing stories of assault, coercion and brutality during the hours-long shoots, when many wept, bled, vomited, cried out in pain or begged for the filming to stop — scenes that were carefully edited from the final video.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024
Your spirit is crying out to you to be the hero of your own story.
—Angela Quach, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
James Crumbley is heard crying out in pain in the video, which shows the couple being handcuffed.
—Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 12 Mar. 2024
None of these are the state’s job, and nobody was crying out for them.
—Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2024
Weathers’ most powerful reactive closeup in the series comes near the end of the fight in Rocky IV, when his wife cries out from the stands, realizing that her husband is overmatched, and Apollo stares back at her helplessly, a prisoner of his neediness and machismo.
—Vulture, 4 Feb. 2024
There are overpowering moments where the screen fills with colour and Mica Levi’s composition cries out for a humanity that the protagonists have denied.
—Hazlitt, 6 Mar. 2024
The multiplicity of programs to deal with homelessness cries out for some kind of independent appraisal of what’s been spent and how effective the spending has been.
—Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 29 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cry out.' 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 cry out
Cite this Entry
“Cry out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cry%20out. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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