1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
the cranky patient was always croaking to the nurses about something
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to die
slang
to stop living
I wouldn't go around saying your great-grandmother "croaked"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to kill
slang
to deprive of life
"I croaked the old bugger," he bragged
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to assassinate
slang
to put to death deliberately
hooligans had croaked the street corner wino just for the hell of it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of croak
Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2025
The moms chattered and laughed and sang, while the birds made a croaking sound.
—Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
Aratus, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
Rose does sing the song’s iconic chorus, but instrumentally, the song is nearly all Sly, with additional electric piano by star keyboardist Billy Preston and some guitar croaks from rising soul hitmaker Bobby Womack.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for croak
Verb
There was intense, excruciating pain written all over the faces and croaking in the voices because it’s supposed to hurt when something this good comes to an end.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2025
The moms chattered and laughed and sang, while the birds made a croaking sound.
—Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
Noun
And crows will mimic the crystalline splashing of rain yet to come, or after two deep croaks
will set up a whir with furious wingbeats.
—Aratus, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
Rose does sing the song’s iconic chorus, but instrumentally, the song is nearly all Sly, with additional electric piano by star keyboardist Billy Preston and some guitar croaks from rising soul hitmaker Bobby Womack.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for croak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for croak
Verb
-
In recent years, staff have complained of poor working conditions brought on by overcrowding, despite director Laurence des Cars’s 2023 move to cap attendance at 30,000 visitors daily, accompanied by a ticket price increase.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Later that day, the parents of other dancers and talent-show participants complained that my afro had covered up their kids on-screen.—
Questlove,
The Atlantic,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The driver of the car that was hit died at the scene, according to police.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Nov. 2025
-
In filing the suit, the city was following the lead of Norma Nazario, who, in 2024, sued TikTok and Meta for the wrongful death of her fifteen-year-old son, Zackery, who died surfing, claiming that algorithms encouraged her son to become addicted to the act.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Most of the strikes occur in the summer, killing 20 people each year, according to the NWS.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Four people were killed over a four-day period in crashes on Arkansas highways, according to preliminary Arkansas State Police reports.—
Daniel McFadin,
Arkansas Online,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
An elite Iranian military unit plotted to assassinate the Israeli ambassador to Mexico, according to a US official familiar with the matter.—
Oren Liebermann,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The film, which won the top documentary prize at the Seattle International Film Festival, takes a fascinating look at Sara Jane Moore, the suburban housewife who bizarrely tried to assassinate President Ford in San Francisco in September 1975.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
According to outlets Airlive and Travel and Tour World, crews on board issued an emergency squawk code 7600.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Yet, leading up to the show, the squawks from the models sounded more like practical concerns than diva demands.—
Henry Alford,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Chuck and Jim loved the sounds of spaghetti westerns, an influence instantly recognizable in the war-cry screaming sound that permeates his score.—
Bear McCreary,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
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Left to die, breathless and alone, Invisigal chokes while Robert screams from the other end of the comms.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Researchers hypothesize that Earhart did not crash at sea, but instead landed and was stranded on Nikumaroro Island, later perishing there.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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Eventually, nearly one-fifth of Fair Havens’ full capacity would perish of COVID-19 complications, according to the Herald’s analysis of data.—
Kevin G. Hall,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
So, automation can be used to destroy labor or workers’ power, but it can also be used in the opposite direction.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Homes, businesses and synagogues were destroyed.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Croak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/croak. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
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