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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noah cries out in panic in one scene previewed in the trailer. Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 6 June 2025 Yet fields like career technical education, healthcare, renewable energy, IT, and apprenticeships are crying out for the skills teachers bring. Nicholas Wyman, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025 When the American people cry out for a president to save them from this invasion, and some district court judge in Manhattan or Los Angeles tries to shut it down? Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 30 May 2025 The odd moment of magic isn’t cutting it and the Brazilian public are crying out for a first World Cup title since 2002. Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025 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 11 Jun. 2025.

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