croak
Americanverb (used without object)
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croaks,
present (3rd person singular)
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croaked,
past participle, past
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croaking
present participle
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to utter a low-pitched, harsh cry, as the sound of a frog or a raven.
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to speak with a low, rasping voice.
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Slang. to die.
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to talk despondingly; prophesy trouble or evil; grumble.
verb (used with object)
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croaks,
present (3rd person singular)
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croaked,
past participle, past
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croaking
present participle
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to utter or announce by croaking.
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Slang. to kill.
noun
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croaks
plural
verb
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(intr) (of frogs, crows, etc) to make a low, hoarse cry
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to utter (something) in this manner
he croaked out the news
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(intr) to grumble or be pessimistic
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slang
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(intr) to die
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(tr) to kill
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noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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croaksimple
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croakssimple
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have croakedperfect
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has croakedperfect
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am croakingprogressive
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are croakingprogressive
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is croakingprogressive
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have been croakingperfect progressive
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has been croakingperfect progressive
Past
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croakedsimple
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had croakedperfect
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was croakingprogressive
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were croakingprogressive
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had been croakingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of croak
1550–60; earlier croke, probably imitative; compare Old English cræcetian (of a raven) to croak
Explanation
A croak is the low, hoarse sound a frog makes. Crows and people with sore throats can croak, too. It’s also a slang word for “die.” When people croak, they need either a glass of water or an undertaker. Croak is a noun or a verb. A bullfrog’s croak can be very loud. A parched cowboy might croak, “howdy.” Another meaning of the word is "die," as in, "I'm sorry your hamster's dead, but you knew he was going to croak soon.” This kind of croak came from the popular idea that people make a distinctive sound just before they die, a "death rattle." Now there’s something to look forward to!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"There's no time for that. Glasgow on the weekend, mate, it's bouncing," the Scot said with a slight croak in his voice.
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026
She has an angelic voice, and Bob has this craggy kind of Blues man’s croak.
From Salon ● Dec. 25, 2024
Frogs croak and croak, their mating calls echoing in the air.
From New York Times ● Nov. 12, 2023
The cry of adults is more like the croak of a frog or the sound of a weed wacker that won’t quite start than that of a songbird, she said.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 15, 2022
Because I’m pretty sure only a croak would emerge, scaring him off.
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
Still, Alcock reacts with exactly the right note of disdain: “Cool,” she croaks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
“Even if I wanted to go home, I don’t know the way no more,” Robbie croaks.
From Salon ● Oct. 6, 2025
A healthy coral reef is noisy, full of the croaks, purrs, and grunts of various fishes and the crackling of snapping shrimp.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 13, 2024
These beady-eyed amphibians can be found on the banks of noisy streams throughout China, where the rapids would drown out ordinary croaks and chirps.
From Science Magazine ● Mar. 11, 2024
“She had a good life,” croaks Ruth, banging her cane against the wood floor for emphasis.
From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish
"Vooaaria!" the bird croaked, a concoction of sounds that resembled a drunken old man.
From Barron's ● May 20, 2026
Frogs croaked from nearby waterholes, joining the chorus of spectators who hollered as the announcer introduced their favorite racers — along with their laundry lists of sponsors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2025
They thought she was joking when she croaked a response - but she told them it was her real voice.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2023
“See who we’ve got near UW,” he finally croaked out in a dry voice.
From Slate ● Nov. 26, 2022
A frog croaked near me and my heart jumped.
From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce
“As we got to the end of the season losing these games, it was just croaking me,” Kraft says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 2, 2026
Maybe that’s not the most dignified way to go, but for Annette and others like her, it’s better than croaking in the heat of the desert sun.
From Salon ● Jan. 8, 2025
Because of this, and the fact that it makes some people sound like they are on the verge of tears, some doctors once believed that the croaking or breathy vocalizations were tied to psychological trauma.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2024
In one case, the Telegraph reports, a couple in the French countryside was ordered to get rid of a pond because the sound of croaking frogs annoyed the neighbors.
From NewsForKids.net ● Mar. 13, 2024
And, before they could answer, he went on in his strange croaking way: “Well, don’t just stand there in the cold; come in, come in. It’s lucky you happened by; none of you looks well.”
From "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
