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
The chorus of the living, dying and dead solemnly intones and angrily cries out.
—
Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2023
There were cracks in the dams, another man cried out.
—Kareem Fahim, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2023
The neighborhood’s entrancing past cried out from under the layers of lead paint; the effort of individuals to beautify their homes gained an ethical dimension when viewed as a collective mission of curation.
—Jonathan Lethem, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023
As was the case over 25 years ago, about every 20 minutes there’s a simulated thunderstorm during which the animals cry out as lightning, thunder and drizzling rain fill the room.
—Linze Rice, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2023
Diamanda Galás, the powerful vocalist whose avant-garde compositions cry out for humanity, has penned a letter condemning Lauren Pazienza, the woman who last year killed Galás’ friend, Barbara Gustern.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2023
From the desert suburbs outside Los Angeles to the rolling hills along the Ohio River to the Jersey Shore, residents are crying out against solar farms, wind turbines and new power lines.
—New York Times, 18 Aug. 2023
The baby was alone and clearly distressed, crying out for its family.
—Seth Carnell, USA TODAY, 29 Aug. 2023
This cries out for roast or grilled chicken or pork, and maybe a plane ticket to New Zealand.
—Dave McIntyre, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2023
See More
Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2023
There were cracks in the dams, another man cried out.
—Kareem Fahim, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2023
The neighborhood’s entrancing past cried out from under the layers of lead paint; the effort of individuals to beautify their homes gained an ethical dimension when viewed as a collective mission of curation.
—Jonathan Lethem, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023
As was the case over 25 years ago, about every 20 minutes there’s a simulated thunderstorm during which the animals cry out as lightning, thunder and drizzling rain fill the room.
—Linze Rice, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2023
Diamanda Galás, the powerful vocalist whose avant-garde compositions cry out for humanity, has penned a letter condemning Lauren Pazienza, the woman who last year killed Galás’ friend, Barbara Gustern.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2023
From the desert suburbs outside Los Angeles to the rolling hills along the Ohio River to the Jersey Shore, residents are crying out against solar farms, wind turbines and new power lines.
—New York Times, 18 Aug. 2023
The baby was alone and clearly distressed, crying out for its family.
—Seth Carnell, USA TODAY, 29 Aug. 2023
This cries out for roast or grilled chicken or pork, and maybe a plane ticket to New Zealand.
—Dave McIntyre, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2023
See More
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 27 Sep. 2023.
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Britannica English: Translation of cry out for Arabic Speakers
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