bleated

verb

past tense of bleat
1
as in complained
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely as far as the slumlord was concerned, the unhappy tenants were just bleating about nothing

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2
as in whimpered
to utter feeble plaintive cries the baby bleated softly as he woke up, then smiled

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bleated The old man bleated out a laugh. — Literary Hub, 9 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bleated
  1. complained
  2. whimpered
  3. screamed
  4. cried
  5. whined
  6. moaned
  7. muttered
Verb
  • Mayor Karen Bass had imposed a 45-day deadline for Lineage to clean everything up as neighbors complained of rotting smells, rodents and flies.
    — Julie Sharp, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The inspection followed a hunger strike by detainees, who in a letter, complained about rotten or worm-infested food, medical neglect, and being coerced into signing deportation orders.
    — Vanessa Romo, NPR, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of complained
Verb
  • Pancho, a heavy-bodied Airedale, whimpered and rubbed against my leg with the expectation of excitement to come.
    — Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 15 July 2026
  • Arms flew around in exasperation, and the woman left the table for such a long time that the large dog lying at their feet sat up and whimpered in the direction of her departure.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
Definition of whimpered
Verb
  • Montes grabbed and threw two $10,000 candle holders to the ground, breaking them, and screamed at the congregation, according to prosecutors.
    — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Police said the caller screamed and yelled while attempting to close the bathroom door.
    — Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of screamed
Verb
  • Mexico women cried with joy after a 20-19 win over Great Britain — which rallied from 20-6 down — for the women’s bronze and an Olympic spot.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken cried while tributing songwriting partner Howard Ashman on stage at D23’s Beauty and the Beast reunion.
    — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of cried
Verb
  • Post-Covid, Hollywood has whined about the falloff for MPA fare in Pan Asian territories, particularly the once-robust South Korea.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 28 July 2026
  • After a few casts, Rubye’s rod bent, and the reel whined as line spooled out.
    — John Todd, Outdoor Life, 9 July 2026
Definition of whined
Verb
  • Coach Arne Slot moaned about VAR but his problems lie much closer to home.
    — Phil Hay, New York Times, 4 May 2026
  • Critics moaned when the CFP committee picked the Hurricanes over Notre Dame as the last Power 4 entry into the playoffs.
    — Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2026
Definition of moaned
Verb
  • This was 1872, and the pious (and patronizing) commentators of the time muttered that Damien’s unvarnished personality was due to his simple farm upbringing in rural Belgium.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • Bat met ball and, under his breath, Astros manager Joe Espada muttered an expletive.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 29 June 2026
Definition of muttered

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Cite this Entry

“Bleated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bleated. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of bleated for Spanish Speakers

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