as in whines
an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment
patiently posed for dozens of photographs without so much as a whimper
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in cries
to utter feeble plaintive cries
the dog whimpered to be let in
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in complains
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
a good-hearted person, but given to whimpering about trifles
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whimpers
Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
As the puppy lets out another barrage of whimpers, the kitten then looks directly at the camera, as if wondering casually what's going on.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Well, a University of Texas at Arlington researcher is aiming to turn barks, howls and whimpers of man’s best friend into intelligible speech — a kind of Rosetta Stone of woof.
—Miriam Fauzia, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
The leitmotif of unanswered doorbells, unacknowledged wails, and unsoothed whimpers punctuates the passivity of Epure’s surreal world.
—Olivia Bennett, Variety, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
Earlier this month, a Gardena police officer responded to a report that there were whimpers and cries coming from a self-compacting trash can outside a church.
—Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
As the puppy lets out another barrage of whimpers, the kitten then looks directly at the camera, as if wondering casually what's going on.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Well, a University of Texas at Arlington researcher is aiming to turn barks, howls and whimpers of man’s best friend into intelligible speech — a kind of Rosetta Stone of woof.
—Miriam Fauzia, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
The leitmotif of unanswered doorbells, unacknowledged wails, and unsoothed whimpers punctuates the passivity of Epure’s surreal world.
—Olivia Bennett, Variety, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whimpers
Verb
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Additional crew members then rush in as a baby cries in the background, and alarms on medical equipment begin to sound.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
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Watching, Heining cries every darn time.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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People tend to get involved once a problem becomes visible – when a price looks wrong, a transaction is flagged or a customer complains.—
Murugan Anandarajan,
The Conversation,
22 Jan. 2026
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In any work setting, there’s a person who sits around the table and complains about what’s wrong with the company, and then, when the boss walks in, that same person is over there pouring coffee, quiet as a church mouse.—
Willie Colon,
New York Times,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The song eventually escalates into a lecherous, breathless, glittering climax of incandescent synthesizers and melodic moans—an erotic asphyxiation depicted as utterly glorious.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
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Two microphones angle towards the duduk to capture resonant moans, creaks, squeaks and honks akin to the bridge’s.—
Ruby Rosenthal,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The series ends as Eddie goes into Jamie's bedroom, sobs into the comforter and holds his teddy bear.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
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Her mom, Andrea Swift, can be seen handing her a tissue as Swift hangs her head and sobs.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
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An emergency immigration hotline took a call from Delaney Hall in which the operator heard screams in the background.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
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Nothing screams 2016 quite like the flower crown, and Eva Longoria served face in this flawless selfie.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Cumming said the city's information technology department also abruptly cut off part of her office administrator's access, including the ability to see who else in city government may be looking at whistleblower complaints and documents related to ethics investigations.—
Mike Hellgren,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
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For hours, in the suffocating heat, Dooley sifted through endless accounts of mundane colonial matters—church records, itemizations, legal disputes, petty complaints.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Your dad mutters for head movement, for cage cutting, for not playing off the back and creating distance.—
Matthew Shen Goodman,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whimpers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whimpers. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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