cry out
verb
cried out; crying out; cries out
1
: to make a loud sound because of pain, fear, surprise, etc.
She cried out in pain.
2
: to speak in a loud voice : to say something loudly or from a distance
We could hear them on the shore crying out to us, so we waved.
She cried out for help.
3
—used to say that something clearly needs or should have a particular thing, person, use, etc. —often + to be
A chair like this cries out to be used, not kept in some museum.
The meal cried out to be eaten with a nice white wine.
—often + forThe meal cried out for a nice white wine.
The job cries out for someone who's not afraid to take chances.
Examples of cry out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In her grief, Claire drapes her body over her beloved’s and just cries out in pain.
—
Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 15 May 2026
Our June/July captures this season beautifully, with dishes meant for not savoring every basket of okra, cucumbers, and peppers, plus barbecue and hamburgers that are crying out for a turn on your grill.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 10 May 2026
This tells only a sliver of the story that cries out for sunlight.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2026
Like that most famous ghost, Hamlet’s father, killed by poison poured into the ear, the literature of the past cries out beneath the stage, nearly but not yet forgotten.
—Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cry out
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Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 15 May 2026
Our June/July captures this season beautifully, with dishes meant for not savoring every basket of okra, cucumbers, and peppers, plus barbecue and hamburgers that are crying out for a turn on your grill.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 10 May 2026
This tells only a sliver of the story that cries out for sunlight.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2026
Like that most famous ghost, Hamlet’s father, killed by poison poured into the ear, the literature of the past cries out beneath the stage, nearly but not yet forgotten.
—Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cry out
Cite this Entry
“Cry out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cry%20out. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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