creak 1 of 2

noun

Definition of creaknext
as in scratch
a harsh grating sound the creak of a floorboard

Synonyms & Similar Words

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creak

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to groan

Related Words
2
as in to squeak

Related Words

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 creak
Noun
Prairie grasses and bonnet strings whip in the wind as the creak of wagon wheels carries across the rippling grassland. — Alicia Underlee Nelson, Midwest Living, 22 June 2026 Iwerks worked with Bonnie Wild, a sound mixer whose credits include multiple Marvel and Star Wars projects, to piece together all of the sound from scratch — every creak of metal, every footstep and hammer, and every tractor driving across concrete. — Matthew Jacobs, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2026
Verb
Here in Fort America, the walls creak, then something smashes onto the roof. — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 Economic growth is anemic, taxes are high, public services are creaking and successive governments have been unable to stem the flow of migrants who wash up on the English Channel coast in inflatable boats. — Danica Kirka, Fortune, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for creak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for creak
  1. scratch
  2. groan
  3. squeak
  4. scrape
  5. whine
  6. crackle
  7. rasp
  8. moan
Noun
  • Not only was there the initial flare-up, but now there were huge red scratches and hives.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Check the listed starting pitchers first; a late scratch can void or reprice some bets.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of scratch
Verb
  • The roar of the engines vibrated through the fuselage, rattling bones and teeth, while supply crates shifted and groaned with every lurch.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Carruthers groaned in pain and blood oozed from puncture wounds, DeLiberato said in a news briefing.
    — Catherine Sweeney, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of groan
Verb
  • Red Oak opened district play by squeaking past Mansfield (23-20), but the Hawks got drilled by Duncanville (42-0) to follow.
    — Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Against the sounds of traffic, the groups hear pigeon mating sounds and babies squeaking for food.
    — KYLE MELNICK THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of squeak
Noun
  • The Missouri researcher has captured and analyzed hundreds of thousands of trail-camera images over the years, with many of the best shots coming at scrapes doctored with a variety of scents and lures.
    — Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Memory is not so much a flow, sometimes, as a series of bumps and scrapes.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of scrape
Verb
  • While the left spent all week whining about Sophie Cunningham's hat and firing squad best practices, us PATRIOTS were biding our time, keeping our heads down, and grinding towards another weekend.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Dogs may actually improve our sleep habits by forcing us to adjust to consistent bedtime schedules — as anyone with a sleepy, whining dog can confirm.
    — Gina Vivinetto, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of whine
Verb
  • The footage later showed smoke coming from the home as the fire intensified, with sparks visible and the sound of crackling flames audible.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Go for a scenic drive, pop into an orchard for a cider tasting, and conclude your day in front of a crackling fireplace.
    — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of crackle
Noun
  • Use a rasp and grate a couple of tablespoons right into the raw meat mixture before mixing.
    — Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The rattle of a bride’s gold earring or the rasp of straightener steam through a bride’s hair takes on a panic-inducingly eerie quality thanks to Marie-Clotilde Chery’s chilling sound design.
    — Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of rasp
Verb
  • For a cold moment the silence locked a grip on our table, though it was broken, at the edges, by the golf commentators moaning and harrumphing, Rory McIlroy having had a canary on a seventeenth fairway somewhere this championship Sunday.
    — Kevin Barry, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026
  • By the time Fowler gave up trying to put one in Carruthers, DiLiberato could hear her client moaning and see blood oozing out of his puncture wounds.
    — Keri Blakinger, ProPublica, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of moan

Phrases Containing creak

Browse Nearby Words

crazy quilts
creak
creak (along)
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Cite this Entry

“Creak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/creak. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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