Definition of neighnext
as in to whinny
to make the cry typical of a horse the horses neighed when the rider came into the barn

Synonyms & Similar Words

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neigh

2 of 2

noun

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 neigh
Verb
The series’ earnestly naïve sound design (horses neighing, cars revving) only enhanced my appreciation of Joudrey’s sophisticated storytelling. Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026 As such, the distinct sound that people hear when a horse neighs or whinnies is likely the animal relaying various independent messages or emotions at once, the study says. Kate Perez, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026 Across from them in their usual stalls stood the eight neighing horses. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025 The band joked about adding a neighing horse to the intro, and Rimes quickly inserted that sound from his plug-in collection. Tom Roland, Billboard, 30 Jan. 2024 Laughing, always laughing—at the dickey birds hopping in the tree branches, at the urchin who was burned to a crisp by an angry mob, at the slandering neighbor woman who got turned into a neighing donkey. Okwiri Oduor, Harper’s Magazine , 22 June 2022 No such juvenilia intrudes upon the rather more adult-ish proceedings of the new film The Wanting Mare, in which horses neigh and stamp at the margins of a bleak, majestic world. Jason Kehe, Wired, 12 Feb. 2021 Horse trailers lined up in rows in Island Grove Regional Park, their passengers neighing indiscriminately. John Aguilar, The Denver Post, 28 July 2019 Goats and sheep staying in the barn bleated, and horses neighed as the crowd of people grew. David Anderson, baltimoresun.com, 23 July 2019
Noun
From the stables, the neigh of a horse, and then, a scratching sound followed by a spark that illuminated the silhouette of a figure quickly stepping away. Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for neigh
Verb
  • In the field, Harry Truman’s Approval Rating whinnied and tossed its head, and Richard Nixon’s Approval Rating flopped on one side and emitted a horrible gurgle.
    Alexandra Petri, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Waffles, patient and unbothered as onlookers walked around and stopped to gaze, nickered as another horse on the other side of the massive stalls whinnied.
    Chris Torres, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • My personal highlights were the tender, lightly caramelized moo ping pork skewers with sticky rice, succulent tomato stracciatella sourdough toast, and copious flawless mango, which melted in my mouth like butter.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Junior Heifers One building was filled with the almost deafening hum of high-power hair dryers and the occasional moo.
    Chris Torres, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Waffles, patient and unbothered as onlookers walked around and stopped to gaze, nickered as another horse on the other side of the massive stalls whinnied.
    Chris Torres, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Timbaland’s eerie, minimalist production — stuttering beat patterns, yawning silences between drum hits, synth riffs that bray and heave — was the ideal vehicle for Elliott’s slaloming, heavily syncopated raps.
    New York Times, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
  • My father mistakes it for the verb to bray, like a donkey.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • If the come-from-behind victory and the roar of more than 45,000 fans on Saturday afternoon were any indication, Anderson’s arrival could portend great things is Seattle for the rest of this season, and for many more to come.
    Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The absurdities and tragedies of daily life in dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu’s Romania roar from the page in Oana Aristide’s irresistible debut.
    Monitor reviewers, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • As the tree grew, the metal bands cut into the trunk and branches, in some places disappearing beneath a scar-like covering of bark.
    ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Large dead limbs, changes in the tree’s bark, and roots growing above the ground indicate something is wrong, like diseases, pests, or environmental stress.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Sweet tweets, soft moans, the distant caw of a shore bird piloting toward the sea, spirited and hopeful, daylight already breaking through.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026
Noun
  • The screech of guitar feedback echoed from a makeshift stage outside, where a punk-rock band had just launched into their set, a fitting accompaniment to the bar’s kaleidoscopic selection of beer.
    Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
  • La Vierge de Fer contrasts the delicate fruit and a lily note with the screech of cold metal, sparkling aldehydes, and lilting sandalwood.
    Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 3 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Neigh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/neigh. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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