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croaking 1 of 2

adjective

as in hoarse
harsh and dry in sound a croaking voice from smoking too many cigarettes

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croaking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of croak
1
as in complaining
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely the cranky patient was always croaking to the nurses about something

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2
as in dying
slang to stop living I wouldn't go around saying your great-grandmother "croaked"

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3
as in killing
slang to deprive of life "I croaked the old bugger," he bragged

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4
as in murdering
slang to put to death deliberately hooligans had croaked the street corner wino just for the hell of it

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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 croaking
Adjective
Their croaking involves pushing air over vocal cords into a thin membrane known as a vocal sac that inflates under the chin. — Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
Verb
An animal’s croaking rides away with the wind, and two sparrows rise from the reeds. — Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026 The track — with its croaking guitar, cymbal smashes, and stuttering vocals — sounds nothing like Brat’s gleaming, clubby gems (or the bouncy pop-punk of her 2014 LP Sucker, for that matter). — Caryn Ganz, Rolling Stone, 23 July 2026 This process magnifies the croaking, resulting in a surprising volume of sound considering the size of the small frogs. — Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026 Ravens circle overhead, croaking at my presence in defiance. — Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026 Karaoke on Ambience mainly consists of elderly monk-like men croaking out album tracks by Black Sabbath, and grey haired women wailing out ABBA songs. — David Greig september 15, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for croaking
  1. hoarse
  2. complaining
  3. dying
  4. killing
  5. murdering
  6. gruff
  7. screaming
  8. falling
Adjective
  • Singers didn’t want their voices to get hoarse over the long night or week.
    — Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Saliva collects at the mouthpiece and distorts the notes, making the blasts sound hoarse and off-pitch.
    — Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of hoarse
Verb
  • Put another way—and this is evidently how Gray saw it—Kanarek was always complaining.
    — Ian Parker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Piles of unopened mail, losing track of cash or checks and complaining about not having enough money are indicators that elders may need someone to take over their finances, according to the Elder Care Alliance.
    — Alexiah Syrai Olsen, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of complaining
Verb
  • The courageous woman at the center of that series survived long enough to give a dying statement, in the hope that her testimony would set a precedent and make the world safer for others.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Co-creators Greg Daniels and Michael Koman spun the Peacock series out of the universe of The Office, transferring Oscar Nuñez’s accountant Oscar, as well as the general vibe of workplace drudgery, to a dying Toledo newspaper.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of dying
Verb
  • Investigators determined that Hollander had likely targeted the home with the intention of killing Esther.
    — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The jury could not reach a verdict in the murder trial of the Massachusetts mother who admitted to killing her three children.
    — Violet Jira, Washington Post, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of killing
Verb
  • Rhys plays Nile Jarvis, the menacing and manipulative real estate scion suspected of murdering his first wife.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • As interviewees list justifications for murdering civilians, including children, the camera’s gaze eventually falls on the IDF’s own military headquarters.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of murdering
Adjective
  • His only hope to get home turns out to be Nick (Kenneth Branagh), a gruff ex-KGB agent who loves American pop culture and is really good in a fight.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Known for his gruff vocals, LaMontagne first came to the scene in the early aughts as a timid troubadour.
    — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of gruff
Verb
  • By the time the rock legends arrived, the black carpet was empty, aside from the herd of photographers and screaming fans.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Within seconds, protesters swarmed among the agents, screaming and holding their cellphones aloft.
    — Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of screaming
Verb
  • David, not unlike Jerry, was afraid of falling and white-knuckled his way through.
    — Victor Garber, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
  • After, tuck yourself into a hammock and gaze up at the stars; you wouldn’t be blamed for falling right asleep.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of falling

Browse Nearby Words

croakers
croaking
croaks
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Cite this Entry

“Croaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/croaking. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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