whimper
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
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(intr) to cry, sob, or whine softly or intermittently
-
to complain or say (something) in a whining plaintive way
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has whimperedperfect 3rd person singular
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have whimperedperfect
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am whimperingprogressive 1st person singular
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is whimperingprogressive 3rd person singular
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whimperingparticiple
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has been whimperingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
are whimperingprogressive
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whimperssingular 3rd person
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have been whimperingperfect progressive
Past
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had whimperedperfect
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had been whimperingperfect progressive
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was whimperingprogressive singular
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whimperedparticiple
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whimperedsimple
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were whimperingprogressive plural
Future
Etymology
Origin of whimper
1505–15; obsolete whimp to whine + -er 6
Explanation
To whimper is to make a low, pitiful whining sound. If you've ever heard a sick puppy cry, you know what it means to whimper. Use the verb whimper to describe the crying you do when you're frightened or in pain. A child with a fever might whimper, or a woman with a terrible migraine headache. It can also be a noun, although in that case the word takes on a bit of a whiny meaning: "The boy gave a whimper when he realized he was only getting one cookie." Whimper is onomatopoeic, or a word that sounds just like what it means.
Vocabulary lists containing whimper
Instead of "Said": Words For Sad Speech
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"My Favorite Chaperone," Vocabulary from the short story
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Similes from Top AP English Exam Novels
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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.
The strange legal saga that torpedoed Jeff Shell’s career at Paramount Skydance has ended with a whimper.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026
We’ll all find out together if that’s a bang or a whimper.
From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026
Manias often peak on good news, though, and they generally go out with a bang, not a whimper.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
Detroit had to win both their remaining games to stand a chance of making the play-offs, but went out with an alarming whimper in a 23-10 defeat in Minnesota.
From BBC • Dec. 26, 2025
The hissing turned into a whimper as if it was sorry.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
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.
