1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
the cranky patient was always croaking to the nurses about something
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to die
slang
to stop living
I wouldn't go around saying your great-grandmother "croaked"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to kill
slang
to deprive of life
"I croaked the old bugger," he bragged
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to assassinate
slang
to put to death deliberately
hooligans had croaked the street corner wino just for the hell of it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of croak
David Amsden, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Dec. 2025
But longtime church organist Alice Glick, who started in 1991's Season 2 (when the first George Bush was president), croaked.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 26 Dec. 2025
Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2025
His character's ominous smirk and froggy croak are grittier than the gnarled wood of the lodge where the film is set.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for croak
Verb
Come nightfall, the chatter of a dizzying array of bird species (tanagers, toucans, motmots) gives way to a symphony of croaking frogs.
—David Amsden, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Dec. 2025
But longtime church organist Alice Glick, who started in 1991's Season 2 (when the first George Bush was president), croaked.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 26 Dec. 2025
Noun
His gravelly croak sounds melodic but grave.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2025
His character's ominous smirk and froggy croak are grittier than the gnarled wood of the lodge where the film is set.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for croak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for croak
Verb
-
An employee reached out to Summers and Taylor to complain.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Coaches Dawn Staley of South Carolina and Geno Auriemma of UConn had a heated courtside exchange afterward as Auriemma, in character, complained about the officiating and proved an ungracious loser, but at least apologized a day later.—
Greg Cote
April 5,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Investigators would spend weeks building their case, combing through nearly 7,000 texts exchanged over the three months before Harold died.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Cormorants that tried to clean each other with their beaks died after ingesting the viscous muck.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Authorities allege her husband, 40-year-old Stephen Bowen, killed her with a shotgun.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
-
They get captured by Hungarian gangsters and have to fight (and kill) their way out of an inn run by a shady former dance prodigy (Uma Thurman).—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In September, Charlie Kirk, Turning Point’s founder, had been assassinated by a gunman at Utah Valley University.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Haiti was plunged into crisis in 2021, when mercenaries assassinated President Jovenel Moise.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
He was missed — especially vocally — since Gill’s angelic voice does not, in any way shape or form, resemble Walsh’s charmingly out-of-pitch squawk-talk style.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
25 Jan. 2026
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Toy keyboard plinks and saxophone squawks spiral over a booming racket of drums in the ether, slyly threatening to collapse, like an elaborate plate-spinning act.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For families This hotel doesn’t scream family-friendly and there’s no kids’ menu in the restaurants.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Martens plans to scream, if not louder, than with more originality.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Cookie perished, to say nothing of the dog.—
Pat Beall,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The three perished when the plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Toxins build up and start to destroy the kidneys and liver.—
Jerome Groopman,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Renowned for its beauty and ability to attract butterflies, butterfly bush (Buddleia) can spread quickly and outcompete and destroy native plants.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Croak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/croak. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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