bleat

1 of 2

verb

ˈblēt 

Northern also

ˈblat 

Southern usually

ˈblāt 

bleated; bleating; bleats

intransitive verb

1

a

: to make the natural cry of a sheep or goat

also : to utter a similar sound

b

: whimper

2

a

: to talk complainingly or with a whine

b

: blather

transitive verb

: to utter in a bleating manner

bleater noun

bleat

2 of 2

noun

1

: the cry of a sheep or goat

also : a similar sound

the bleat of a cell phone

2

: a feeble outcry, protest, or complaint

Synonyms

Verb

• beef
• bellyache
• bitch
• carp
• caterwaul
• complain
• crab
• croak
• fuss
• gripe
• grizzle
• grouch
• grouse
• growl
• grumble
• grump
• holler
• inveigh
• keen
• kick
• kvetch
• maunder [chiefly British]
• moan
• murmur
• mutter
• nag
• repine
• scream
• squawk
• squeal
• wail
• whimper
• whine
• whinge [British]
• yammer
• yawp
• yaup
• yowl

Noun

• beef
• bitch
• carp
• complaint
• fuss
• grievance
• gripe
• grouch
• grouse
• grumble
• holler
• kvetch
• lament
• miserere
• moan
• murmur
• plaint
• squawk
• wail
• whimper
• whine
• whinge [British]
• yammer

Examples of bleat in a Sentence

Verb

The lamb bleated as I approached.

“But why can't I go?” she bleated.

The labor union is always bleating about the management.

Noun

a very patient, understanding person who accepts life's inconveniences without a bleat

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The killing leaves Daemon disoriented and out of sorts; inside the castle, he’s bleated at by a judgmental goat. —Omar L. Gallaga, Washington Post, 29 July 2024

After her lamb fell into a rock crevice, this sheep bleated for help. —Allison Moses, USA TODAY, 23 July 2024

Noun

Use calls, such as bleats, grunts, snort-wheezes, grunt-snort-wheezes, and more. —Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 24 Oct. 2024

While does and young deer utter a sheep-like bleat to communicate with each other, this sound is relatively quiet; under most conditions, these sounds are audible from only a short distance. —Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 28 Sep. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English bleten, from Old English blǣtan; akin to Latin flēre to weep, Old English bellan to roar — more at bellow

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1508, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bleat

1 of 2 verb

ˈblēt 

1

: to utter a bleat or similar sound

2

: to speak in a bleating way

bleat

2 of 2 noun

: the characteristic cry of a sheep or goat