cry out

phrasal 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 + for
The 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 There are overpowering moments where the screen fills with colour and Mica Levi’s composition cries out for a humanity that the protagonists have denied. Hazlitt, 6 Mar. 2024 The multiplicity of programs to deal with homelessness cries out for some kind of independent appraisal of what’s been spent and how effective the spending has been. Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 29 Feb. 2024 But this is music crying out for myrrh and matches: spacey, meandering sounds that wander around in search of a melody, occasionally find one, and then lurch off in another direction. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2024 In Rafah zoo, dozens of destitute Gazans are camping between the cages where starving monkeys, parrots and lions cry out for food 12 weeks into Israel’s offensive. NBC News, 2 Jan. 2024 Then, the Jews will hide behind rocks and trees, and the rocks and trees will cry out: 'O Moslem, there is a Jew hiding behind me, come and kill him. Benjamin Weinthal, Fox News, 9 Mar. 2024 Dozens of them rushed toward the van to ask for rides, reaching for the windows and crying out for help. Eli Saslow Erin Schaff, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2024 The Red Devils had struggled in the second half of last season to control matches and were crying out for a holding midfielder that can manage the spaces and break up play. Liam Canning, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 And politicians should know that there are plenty of Americans, in Miami and elsewhere, who aren’t crying out for protection from the market. Dominic Pino, National Review, 3 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cry out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near cry out

Cite this Entry

“Cry out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cry%20out. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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