cry out

phrasal verb

cried out; crying out; cries out

1

: to make a loud sound because of pain, fear, surprise, etc.

She cried out in pain.

2

: to speak in a loud voice : to say something loudly or from a distance

We could hear them on the shore crying out to us, so we waved.

She cried out for help.

3

—used to say that something clearly needs or should have a particular thing, person, use, etc.

—often + to be

A chair like this cries out to be used, not kept in some museum.

The meal cried out to be eaten with a nice white wine.

—often + for

The meal cried out for a nice white wine.

The job cries out for someone who's not afraid to take chances.

Examples of cry out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The signs were all there, according to some family members who said the boy had been crying out for help for months if not years. —Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 11 Sep. 2024

As for the interior, Ferrari cockpits have been crying out for a center touchscreen to ease the maddening operation of steering-wheel controls on some previous models. —Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 1 Oct. 2024

But in a time like this, when a crisis hits, when our fellow citizens cry out in need, none of that matters. —Lalee Ibssa, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2024

The squad is crying out for a coach who can bring the team to perform beyond the sum of its parts. —Alex Tabet, NBC News, 14 Sep. 2024