cry out

phrasal verb

cried out; crying out; cries out

: to make a loud sound because of pain, fear, surprise, etc.

She cried out in pain.

: 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.

—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.

The man arrested after a random stabbing spree inside the Grand Central subway station in New York City on Christmas Eve that left two victims wounded cried out for his mother in court, according to a report. —

Pilar Arias, Fox News, 26 Dec. 2024 Some might catch their dogs being destructive or crying out for attention. —

Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024 The good news is that four days later, my lips were once again moisturized and no longer crying out for extra coats of balm. —

Kate Foster, Glamour, 2 Dec. 2024 The Swedish native also recalls hearing people crying out for help. —

Brian Brant, People.com, 30 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cry out