cries

NOUN

weeping and making sad sounds

Synonyms

STRONGEST

howl lament sob

STRONG

bawl bawling bewailing blubber blubbering howling keening lamentation mourning snivel snivelling sobbing sorrowing tears wailing weep whimpering yowl

WEAK

shedding tears the blues

NOUN

calling out; yelling

Synonyms

STRONGEST

chatter cheer clamor groan grunt howl outcry roar scream shout shriek wail whine whistle

STRONG

acclamation bark bawl bay bellow cackle call caw clack cluck coo crow ejaculation exclamation expletive fuss gobble hiss holler hoot hullabaloo hurrah motto note pipe quack report ruckus screech song squall squawk squeak trill uproar vociferation whoop yammer yawp yell yelp

WEAK

yoo-hoo

Antonyms

STRONGEST

quiet seriousness silence

STRONG

calm peace

VERB

weep and make sad sounds

Synonyms

STRONGEST

break down complain fret grieve groan howl moan mourn sigh sob wail weep

STRONG

bawl bemoan bewail blub blubber caterwaul deplore keen lament mewl regret sniff snivel sorrow squall whimper whine yammer yowl

WEAK

boohoo burst into tears choke up crack up dissolve in tears let go let it all out shed bitter tears shed tears turn on waterworks

Antonyms

STRONGEST

be happy please

STRONG

delight gloat praise

VERB

call out, yell

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bark cheer coo exclaim growl grunt holler howl scream shout shriek whoop

STRONG

bawl bay bellow bleat cackle call caw chatter clack clamor cluck croak crow ejaculate gabble hail hiss hoot low pipe quack roar screech snarl squawk trill tweet twitter vociferate whistle yawp yelp

WEAK

holler out sing out

Antonyms

STRONGEST

be quiet

VERB

advertise

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bark

STRONG

announce broadcast hawk hype proclaim promulgate publicize publish puff trumpet

WEAK

build up press-agent

Antonyms

STRONG

conceal hide secret

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

As they started emerging from the terminal, with the Turkish activists at the front, they were greeted by cries of "Allahu Akbar!"

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

Over the radio, they can hear the cries of other vessels begging for food and water.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

They entered the world the way babies should, with piercing cries announcing their arrival.

From Salon • May 7, 2026

The plot still cries out for a flow chart, but the powerhouse fusion of Michele, Tveit and Christopher, overcoming all obstacles, has made this production one of the seismic events of the Broadway season.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

Dr. Johnson’s simple question gets to the heart of a basic and uncomfortable fact: some of the rowdiest cries for America’s freedom came from the Founding Fathers, heroes in the American quest for liberty.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis