whimper 1 of 2

noun

Definition of whimpernext
as in whine
an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment patiently posed for dozens of photographs without so much as a whimper

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whimper

2 of 2

verb

ˈ(h)wim-pər How to pronounce whimper (audio)
1
as in to cry
to utter feeble plaintive cries the dog whimpered to be let in

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely a good-hearted person, but given to whimpering about trifles

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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 whimper
Noun
The college football season started off with a bit of a whimper. — Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026 Aware of them now, the dog shakes loose the can—his forelock matted, his jowl smeared with beans—and shrinks into the trees with a whimper that makes something tighten in Molly’s own chest. — Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2026
Verb
That admission led to gasps and whimpering by several courtroom observers. — Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 11 June 2026 As the timer passed seven minutes, Steve Eckert exhorted a whimpering young man to dunk his head underwater. — Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for whimper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whimper
  1. whine
  2. cry
  3. complain
  4. moan
  5. sob
  6. scream
  7. complaint
  8. bleat
Noun
  • Our Chesapeake Bay Retriever dog saw them too and enthusiastically let out a small whine.
    — Kody Lostroh, Denver Post, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The mystic whine of Christine Ott and Mathieu Gabry’s score carries us into a hidden world of ancient Thai deities living inside the mountain’s caves and tunnels.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of whine
Verb
  • Children crowded the play areas, despite the damp, gray weather, shrieking with joy (and in one instance, crying).
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Several jurors cried after viewing autopsy photos of Hedgepeth, according to local media accounts.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of cry
Verb
  • Someone else even complained about the self-clean feature ruining their appliance.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2026
  • By July, morale among immigration officers had dipped below its nadir during the Biden Administration, with agents now complaining of being overextended, inundated with novice recruits, and undermined by inflammatory rhetoric from on high.
    — Francisco Cantú, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of complain
Noun
  • Bel’s father took a long look at Conner’s painting, then let out a loud moan and wept.
    — Edwidge Danticat, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Lori can hardly speak, relying on a young nurse who sits at her side to translate her low, pained moans.
    — Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of moan
Verb
  • Police believe she was knocked to the ground and could be heard gasping for breath and sobbing before the video ended, the warrant affidavit said.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Alexander says Martinez threw herself to the ground and sobbed.
    — Francesca D’Annunzio, ProPublica, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of sob
Verb
  • Upon arriving at Bottiglierivega's door, a police sergeant heard screaming and spotted blood nearby.
    — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Officers arrived at the scene and found people screaming as a man was lying in the street, suffering from gunshot wounds.
    — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of scream
Noun
  • The attorney’s complaint to Internal Affairs alleged Sguros used his position as a police officer to assume control of West’s property and said Sguros was pursuing a civil case related to the home.
    — Angie DiMichele, Sun Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
  • In response, Argentine congresswoman Marcela Pagano filed a criminal complaint with the Federal Court of Puerto Iguazú regarding Bolsonaro’s entry and his subsequent departure on a private plane.
    — Florencia Cabral, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of complaint
Verb
  • Avoiding the protest camp, the livestock were driven through the streets of central Madrid to the sound of bells and bleats.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • However, the animals did survive and seemed set on helping their family survive too, repeatedly bleating and stomping on the debris covering the bunker.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 21 May 2026
Definition of bleat

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Cite this Entry

“Whimper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whimper. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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