bleat

1 of 2

verb

ˈblēt 

Northern also

ˈblat 

Southern usually

ˈblāt 

bleated; bleating; bleats

intransitive verb

1

a

: to make the natural cry of a sheep or goat

also : to utter a similar sound

b

: whimper

2

a

: to talk complainingly or with a whine

b

: blather

transitive verb

: to utter in a bleating manner

bleater noun

bleat

2 of 2

noun

1

: the cry of a sheep or goat

also : a similar sound

the bleat of a cell phone

2

: a feeble outcry, protest, or complaint

Synonyms

Verb

• beef
• bellyache
• bitch
• carp
• caterwaul
• complain
• crab
• croak
• fuss
• gripe
• grizzle
• grouch
• grouse
• growl
• grumble
• grump
• holler
• inveigh
• keen
• kick
• kvetch
• maunder [chiefly British]
• moan
• murmur
• mutter
• nag
• repine
• scream
• squawk
• squeal
• wail
• whimper
• whine
• whinge [British]
• yammer
• yawp
• yaup
• yowl

Noun

• beef
• bitch
• carp
• complaint
• fuss
• grievance
• gripe
• grouch
• grouse
• grumble
• holler
• kvetch
• lament
• miserere
• moan
• murmur
• plaint
• squawk
• wail
• whimper
• whine
• whinge [British]
• yammer

Examples of bleat in a Sentence

Verb

The lamb bleated as I approached.

“But why can't I go?” she bleated.

The labor union is always bleating about the management.

Noun

a very patient, understanding person who accepts life's inconveniences without a bleat

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Their bleating cry is as much the music of these green mountains as the shrill call of the oystercatchers, the Faroes' noisy national bird. —Tim Ecott, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 May 2023

Danielle Brooks asks, speaking for all of us after a pink sheep bleats a greeting. —Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2024

Noun

Use calls, such as bleats, grunts, snort-wheezes, grunt-snort-wheezes, and more. —Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 24 Oct. 2024

While does and young deer utter a sheep-like bleat to communicate with each other, this sound is relatively quiet; under most conditions, these sounds are audible from only a short distance. —Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 28 Sep. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English bleten, from Old English blǣtan; akin to Latin flēre to weep, Old English bellan to roar — more at bellow

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1508, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bleat

1 of 2 verb

ˈblēt 

1

: to utter a bleat or similar sound

2

: to speak in a bleating way

bleat

2 of 2 noun

: the characteristic cry of a sheep or goat