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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
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
  • When 39 days of elite physical punishment concluded with stadium lights dimming across North America, millions of fans limped away from watch parties with hoarse voices and sore feet.
    — Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The other was a tearing beauty, a creature so lovely that one look at her sent young men’s blood pressure skyward and set them to uttering wild, hoarse cries and tearing telephone directories apart with the bare hands.
    — John Madson, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026
Definition of hoarse
Verb
  • Parents keep complaining to me that their kids are sedentary at school, even though humans need to keep moving throughout the day to be healthy.
    — Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Aside from social media posts complaining about the war’s fallout and some grumbling from oligarchs about the Kremlin seizing their assets, there are still no signs of any widespread popular unrest against Vladimir Putin’s regime.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of complaining
Verb
  • But hundreds of people in the US are still dying from Covid-19 each month.
    — Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Measles can be a deadly disease, with two children dying last year after having been infected.
    — Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of dying
Verb
  • In March, Nebraska’s Morrill Fire tore through 642,000 acres to become the largest in state history, killing one person and razing vast stretches of cattle country.
    — Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • In 2016, wildlife officials closed 183 miles (295 kilometers) of the Yellowstone River to fishing, rafting and other activities to prevent a parasite suspected of killing tens of thousands of fish from spreading further in the low and warm water.
    — Matthew Brown, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of killing
Verb
  • In 1893, Sunday school teacher Lizzie Borden was tried for allegedly murdering her father and stepmother with an axe inside the family home.
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 4 Aug. 2026
  • In a newer piece of casting, Sarah Paulson, who’s been filming season 13 of American Horror Story, will appear as Aileen Wuornos, a serial killer who was convicted of murdering seven men in Florida between 1989 and 1990.
    — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of murdering
Adjective
  • Matt Damon plays Odysseus as a gruff, practical tactician, rather than an energetically inventive and morally dubious schemer.
    — Caroline Mimbs Nyce, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
  • The New Zealander drew international acclaim for roles as gruff loners and unhinged villains.
    — Harrison Smith, Washington Post, 13 July 2026
Definition of gruff
Verb
  • The ‘Ginger Prince’ also scored the goal which prompted the loudest atmosphere at Old Trafford so far this century, a 25-yard screaming half-volley against Barcelona in the 2008 Champions League semi-final second leg, the only goal across both legs.
    — Andy Mitten, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Dispatchers heard gunshots and screaming on the other end of the line.
    — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of screaming
Verb
  • On Monday, an 18-year-old was seriously injured after falling onto an elevated platform.
    — Ubah Ali, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • One thing seems certain — any Chinese citizen with this type of account needs to be paying attention to their obligations, and the sooner the better, to avoid falling afoul of the new mandate.
    — Anniek Bao,Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of falling

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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 8 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on croaking

Nglish: Translation of croaking for Spanish Speakers

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