croak
Americanverb (used without object)
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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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to utter or announce by croaking.
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Slang. to kill.
noun
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
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.
There’s a wicked irony in micromanaging your entire life on Earth only to croak and have your soul potentially jettisoned to some formless state of being, entirely unknown to mere mortals.
From Salon • Nov. 27, 2025
And certainly the dry croak of his singing voice in the LP’s lead single suggests he’d enjoyed healthier times.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2025
Frogs croak and croak, their mating calls echoing in the air.
From New York Times • Nov. 12, 2023
“If I croak tomorrow, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be any happier than I am here today,” Sandersen said.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 12, 2023
Another cuffed her, and she began to croak out her chant once more.
From "Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution" by Ji-li Jiang
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.
