1
as in complains
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
the cranky patient was always croaking to the nurses about something
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dies
slang
to stop living
I wouldn't go around saying your great-grandmother "croaked"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in kills
slang
to deprive of life
"I croaked the old bugger," he bragged
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in assassinates
slang
to put to death deliberately
hooligans had croaked the street corner wino just for the hell of it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of croaks
Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
Participants will be trained to learn the chirps and croaks of various local frog and toad species, then commit to going out to a particular piece of the watershed near their homes a couple of nights per month to listen for the frogs and toads and record their absence or presence.
—Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
Males also begin their chorus of throaty croaks in hopes of attracting a willing mate.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
Participants will be trained to learn the chirps and croaks of various local frog and toad species, then commit to going out to a particular piece of the watershed near their homes a couple of nights per month to listen for the frogs and toads and record their absence or presence.
—Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for croaks
Verb
-
Lauersdorf is always willing to answer constituent concerns, and never complains, said Heritage Homeowners’ Association vice president Jennifer Samuels in a Facebook post promoting the fundraising effort.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The narrator in Pseudo-Quintilian’s fiction complains of the unfairness of the bout.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Domestic violence suspect crashes, dies while fleeing police A man suspected in a domestic violence incident Friday morning in Plymouth led police on a brief chase on Route 3 before ultimately crashing his car into another vehicle and dying.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
-
When a patient dies from a preventable error, the doctors and nurses go home.—
Joe Kiani,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Samorajczyk said that high temperatures are what kills weeds with Foamstream or AquaPro and also noted that the DOT is speaking with vendors and scientists who are developing this technology to have a wand on the front bumper to kill weeds on guiderails.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
29 Apr. 2026
-
His film Ring, directed by Hideo Nakata, centered on a cursed videotape that kills viewers seven days after watching it.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That assassinates Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sparking retaliatory attacks by Iran across the Middle East.—
Jill Lawrence,
Mercury News,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Soleimani assassination | Trump orders a drone strike in Iraq that assassinates Qasem Soleimani, an influential Iranian military commander.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Nothing about this neighborhood screams blockbuster.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
In the clip, the ride suddenly falls down with her phone dropping to the ground, and screams can be heard in the background in the seconds after the collapse.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Lawrence, though, is widely regarded as a top-five player at his position, whereas Greenard falls around 15th among edge rushers in most meaningful metrics.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The 44% theory Steve Dittmore admits that his research interest, the relationship of athletics and enrollment at small colleges, falls pretty far outside of the mainstream, even in the already-niche world of sports and higher ed.—
Mark Dent,
thehustle.co,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Levine Cava said the Kelly Tractor project destroys too many wetlands and bypasses county rules on approving development proposed outside Miami-Dade’s Urban Development Boundary.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The novel begins with a deadly fire that destroys two tenements.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Geillis, on her quest to install Bonnie Prince Charlie on the throne, murders her husband as a blood sacrifice and walks through the stones.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
-
In 1971, a jury in Los Angeles recommended the death penalty for Charles Manson and three female followers for the 1969 Tate-La Bianca murders.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Croaks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/croaks. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
