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
Kash also films discreetly from inside her purse as her daughter begins pushing and crying out in pain in the waiting room.
—
Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
Dinah cries out for her Uncle Mike Downey and runs into his arms.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2025
At a time when Lope de Vega, Calderón de la Barca, and Cervantes were weaving verbal spells upon the stage, music must have seemed a superfluous addition—just as, in England, the mighty lines of Marlowe and Shakespeare hardly cried out for melodic elaboration.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
In addition to size inclusivity, TikTok is also crying out for fashion to consider those with disabilities.
—Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cry out
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.
Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
Dinah cries out for her Uncle Mike Downey and runs into his arms.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2025
At a time when Lope de Vega, Calderón de la Barca, and Cervantes were weaving verbal spells upon the stage, music must have seemed a superfluous addition—just as, in England, the mighty lines of Marlowe and Shakespeare hardly cried out for melodic elaboration.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
In addition to size inclusivity, TikTok is also crying out for fashion to consider those with disabilities.
—Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cry out
Cite this Entry
“Cry out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cry%20out. Accessed 11 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share