whimpering 1 of 3

adjective

as in crying

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whimpering

2 of 3

noun

as in weeping

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whimpering

3 of 3

verb

present participle of whimper
1
as in sobbing
to utter feeble plaintive cries the dog whimpered to be let in

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2
as in complaining
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 whimpering
Adjective
Multiple responders then grasped the canine by the neck and back to lift it onboard, during which the dog could be heard slightly whimpering. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026 Only this version of Slattery is a whimpering scaredy-cat, who unleashes the beast within at a key moment in the film. — Brent Lang, Variety, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
Scarface doesn’t just bark orders at his underlings but browbeats the whimpering Ventriloquist, giving him that warped double personality that made older characters like Two-Face so alluring. — Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026 When this happens, the family finds Cassidy breathing heavily and whimpering. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Aug. 2026 After the particularly disturbing Game 3 loss, when the Avs lost for only the second time in 76 playoff games when leading by three goals, Colorado resorted to whimpering. — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 27 May 2026 How to Watch North Carolina at Syracuse Bill Belichick’s first season as North Carolina head coach is winding to a whimpering close, but an ACC win over Syracuse under the Friday Night Lights would sure turn some frowns upside down at Chapel Hill. — Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
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 In a large tent, veterinarians and volunteers work together to place an IV into the leg of a small, whimpering puppy. — Tavleen Tarrant, NBC news, 28 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whimpering
  1. crying
  2. weeping
  3. sobbing
  4. complaining
  5. wailing
  6. whining
  7. moaning
  8. screaming
Adjective
  • Some in the pro-crying camp pointed to articles and headlines as proof.
    — Jon Sarlin, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Definition of crying
Noun
  • Police were deployed at the hospital as grieving parents and relatives gathered, some weeping, while others called for accountability and demanded answers about how the fire began and whether the nursery had adequate firefighting equipment.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Grieving parents and relatives gathered at the hospital, some weeping while others demanded answers about how the fire began and whether the nursery had adequate firefighting equipment.
    — Munir Ahmed, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of weeping
Verb
  • When the coroner’s deputy lifted Malachi’s body to take it away that night in October 2023, there was no wailing or sobbing from his parents.
    — Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2026
  • After the conversation, Gajdusek drove down the highway, sobbing.
    — Rachel Aviv, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of sobbing
Verb
  • Videos on social media published last week showed empty markets in Tehran and Karaj, with sellers complaining that their fresh produce is not being bought.
    — Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The same folks who are complaining about the current mess in college athletics are the same ones who are inviting the chaos through their front door.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of complaining
Adjective
  • Sitting opposite an old people’s home in a residential corner of Paris’ 14th arrondissement, La Santé’s unassuming presence is only given away by the occasional wailing siren as prisoners are transported to and from the site.
    — Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
Definition of wailing
Noun
  • At low speeds through the town of Imola and villages beyond it, the most prominent sound is the whining of the rear differential.
    — Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 18 May 2026
  • That broader perspective may explain why Hamlin’s criticisms rarely sound like post-race whining.
    — Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Definition of whining
Verb
  • Hall wrote in his report that Hamilton lay down in the backseat of the police vehicle, moaning and not responding, prompting first responders to give him Narcan.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Video released by the Milwaukie Police Department shows Descamps sprawled in a hospital bed, his body limp, moaning and drooling, while medical staff stood nearby.
    — Brian Mann, NPR, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of moaning
Verb
  • That screaming maximum seems like something from a motor world made increasingly distant by turbochargers, hybrid systems and electric motors.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Imagine for a minute a Trojans defense with Luke Wafle, the nation’s top prospect in 2026, screaming off the edge a la the Bosa Bros at Ohio State.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of screaming

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Cite this Entry

“Whimpering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whimpering. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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