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
Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 13 June 2025
Throughout the track, the coquí’s croak echoes briefly in the background.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 30 May 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for croak
Verb
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
Throughout the track, the coquí’s croak echoes briefly in the background.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 30 May 2025
Noun
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
See All Example Sentences for croak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for croak
Verb
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Jiang and his colleagues complain over video chat about their bland meals, but the people who produce, prepare and deliver the food remain invisible.—
Yangyang Cheng,
NPR,
4 Oct. 2025
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Yost and others who opposed the sale of books from the library complained that HUC should not sell part of its collection to ease its financial problems.—
Dan Horn,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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About 20 living hostages remain captive in desperate conditions, Israeli officials say, and about 25 more are believed to have died, but their bodies have not been returned to their families.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
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Craig Hayden, a 77-year-old church member, died trying to help another member of the church, according to a GoFundMe his daughter-in-law posted.—
Georgea Kovanis,
Freep.com,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Tom is torn between loyalty to his dead wife and love for the estranged son who killed her.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
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How many people did Ed Gein kill in real life?—
JR Radcliffe,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Abe – widely seen as Japan’s last stable leader, having ruled for nearly nine years – was assassinated in 2022.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
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The California resident who pleaded guilty to attempting to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh at his home in 2022 was sentenced Friday to just over eight years in prison, far below the three-decade term sought by federal prosecutors.—
Alexander Mallin,
ABC News,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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According to outlets Airlive and Travel and Tour World, crews on board issued an emergency squawk code 7600.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
22 Sep. 2025
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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
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When the Target employees announced the launch, the fans screamed and were called up to the counter one by one.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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Adults and children alike were pulled from their Chicago apartments, crying and screaming, during a large overnight raid that has left tenants and neighbors shaken.—
Rebekah Riess,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Almost all 19 of the people who died in the blaze perished in the neighborhood.—
Chiara Eisner,
NPR,
2 Oct. 2025
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At least two others were believed to have been trapped inside the church when the fire started and perished in the flames.—
Frank Witsil,
Freep.com,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Two months after historic floods swept through the Milwaukee area, new data shows that nearly 2,200 homes throughout Milwaukee County sustained major damage or were destroyed.—
Claudia Levens,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
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Police in Florida are searching for two men caught on camera destroying a mall store while stealing thousands of dollars in merchandise.—
Pilar Arias,
FOXNews.com,
5 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Croak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/croak. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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