cries 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of cry
1
as in sobs
to shed tears often while making meaningless sounds as a sign of pain or distress some kids started to cry even before the doctor had given them their shot

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2
as in sings
to utter one's distinctive animal sound we knew that we were getting very close to the ocean when we could hear sea gulls crying

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3

cries

2 of 2

noun

plural of cry
1
2
3
as in slogans
an attention-getting word or phrase used to publicize something (as a campaign or product) "A chance to change America" was the cry on which the candidate was hoping to win the White House

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4
5
as in screams
a sudden short emotional utterance cries of disbelief greeted the announcement of the surprise winner for best picture

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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 cries
Verb
Kelli cries over how solid the Mwangi unit is, praising Gerald as a father and husband and affirming that Shamea’s ass is real, while everyone else looks on, bewildered. Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 8 June 2026 Jennifer Brook cries her own tears for her husband. Dawn White, CBS News, 28 May 2026 By the beginning of the second episode, Margo has dropped out of school and is the totally broke single mother to a colicky baby, Bodhi, who cries so committedly that two of Margo’s roommates move out. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026 In the spot, Shane sits in a middle seat next to a chatty flier while a baby cries in the background. Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026 Many first-time parents worry about how others might react if a baby cries on a flight, but experienced travelers say those concerns are often unnecessary, Kay said. Dallas Morning News, 13 Mar. 2026 An old movie in which a character cries at old movies takes an even faster path to tears, yet even then, age is the subject. Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026 Néfissa cries loudly and with anguish about her son, but refuses to acknowledge his truth. Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026 Paranoia and loneliness are what I'm left clinging to as my husband cries in the room next door. Mason Leib, ABC News, 2 Feb. 2026
Noun
The little one’s first cries somehow complete the circle. Literary Hub, 19 June 2026 The soundtrack of sneaker squeaks, rallying cries, and bouncing basketballs found visual complement in the crayon box of jerseys coloring the city in various shades of hometown pride. Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 June 2026 Twelve-year-old neighbor Knox Racioppo said woke up to the sound of cries from a woman screaming for help on Monday. Lauren Linder, CBS News, 15 June 2026 The following Story shows Emmy hooked up to various wires and tubes in the hospital as Morgan holds her in her arms and cries. Georgia Slater, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026 The anti-Trump cries soon turned to bellowing cheers when those same cameras quickly cut to Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson courtside. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 8 June 2026 Neighbor Carolyn Tomlinson was inside her home cleaning windows when the cries of a child brought her outside. Willoughby Mariano, ProPublica, 8 June 2026 Hearing her mothers’ cries, the 11-year-old apparently came to her aid. Sean Emery, Oc Register, 1 June 2026 Then, the cries of Ginny’s baby are a major wake-up call for the couple that can’t be ignored. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cries
Verb
  • Her endless screams and sobs echo back to the agonized wailing of The Mist’s David Drayton, who murdered his child and friends for nothing.
    Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
  • Later that day, Jamison sobs in bed while her mom and dad worry about her chances of getting into Stanford if she's reported to the police.
    Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • Nikola Printz sings the title role, and the cast also includes Courtney Miller as Ruggiero, Shawnette Sulker as Morgana, and Sara Couden as Bradamante; Zachary Gordin is the director and Derek Tam conducts.
    Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
  • Plus, dynamic vocalist Melody Betts sings R&B and soul classics.
    WCCO Staff, CBS News, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • Zach Bryan shouts out the crowd on the London leg of his With Heaven on Tour on June 17.
    Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026
  • Roaring and grunting, his body sleek with blood and sweat, Conan tussles and grapples with a series of opponents, dominating them all, while an audience of torch-wielding vulgarians shouts and howls at the pit’s lip.
    Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • Through blood-curdling howls and rants about fascism, fraud, and fighting to understand your identity, Truck Violence push through ugliness to find something more unaltered and real.
    Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 25 June 2026
  • Her presence is heralded not by the sounds of howls, roars or clanking chains, but by the shutting of the door to her study, the scrape of her chair as it is pulled towards her desk, and the clanking of her type-writer keys.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
Noun
  • Following multiple 911 calls, officers arrived at the scene and set up a perimeter.
    Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2026
  • According to advocates, domestic violence programs across Georgia answered more than 70,000 crisis calls last year.
    Nakell Williams, CBS News, 23 June 2026
Noun
  • Others use stickers with messages, crosses, flags or team slogans.
    Adam Annaccone, The Conversation, 22 June 2026
  • For Everything RiaL, that’s one of the slogans that has been associated with me since the beginning of my career.
    Juan J. Arroyo, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2026
Noun
  • But in nearly every case, the Supreme Court granted emergency appeals from the administration and set aside those orders.
    Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026
  • Spencer was resentenced to death the next year, and subsequent appeals have been denied.
    CBS Miami Team, CBS News, 25 June 2026
Noun
  • After seeing their brows bleached for the first time at our shoot, Megan and Daniela’s excited screams cause everyone’s heads to whip toward the glam room in a mixture of both fear and curiosity.
    Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 25 June 2026
  • Both human and artificial, and tantalizingly difficult to parse, the screams puncture the track’s otherwise steamy atmosphere, like a reminder of reality in the middle of a dreamy reverie.
    Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 24 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cries. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.

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