as in hoarse
harsh and dry in sound
a croaking voice from smoking too many cigarettes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for croaking
Adjective
-
Her voice was loud and hoarse, calling out comments or exhortations concerning the game.—
Rachel Cusk,
New Yorker,
24 Aug. 2025 -
Joe Biden’s disastrous June 2024 debate performance, when the nation witnessed a hoarse and feeble president losing his train of thought and struggling to finish sentences, ended his re-election campaign.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
8 July 2025
Verb
-
In my experience as an outfitter, Altra has always been my go-to suggestion whenever a customer walks in complaining about foot problems.—
Alice Bennett,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Miami is awful, and everyone should’ve known it the minute their players were complaining that their joint practice with the Bears was too tough.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
She was intubated for nearly a week while medical staff at Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola worked to save her, including repeatedly scrubbing and cleaning out her leg to remove any dying tissue.—
Mollye Barrows,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Mason confirmed that Kirk was shot and taken to a hospital in a private vehicle before dying.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The apology came less than 24 hours after an unidentified shooter opened fire at a college university killing Kirk, a media personality and author.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Come to the table, as Republicans and Democrats, to pass solutions to the epidemic of gun violence that’s killing both of us.—
Gabby Giffords,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In 1935, Qassam and two of his followers ambushed a group of British Mandate policemen, murdering a Jewish sergeant.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
In 1981, James Reyos, a gay Apache man, was wrongly convicted of murdering a priest.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Busta also received an assist from Papoose and Joyner Lucas, all of them sharing lyrical wordplay and seamless tradeoffs as Busta swung between his trademark dichotomy of rapping to gruff bellowing.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The Old Man was short and gruff and had chin whiskers.—
Robert Easton,
Outdoor Life,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Cherry breaks a Champagne flute on her own head and runs out of the gallery, screaming that Laura attacked her.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
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Danielle recounted hearing screaming and people running in the chaotic aftermath of the shooting.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This can be something forceful falling or pressing on the toe or twisting it in an awkward manner.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Borrowers aged 18 to 29 are also falling 90 or more days late on auto loans faster than older borrowers.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Croaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/croaking. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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