1
as in complaining
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
as far as the slumlord was concerned, the unhappy tenants were just bleating about nothing
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in whimpering
to utter feeble plaintive cries
the baby bleated softly as he woke up, then smiled
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bleating
Justin Fletcher returns as the bleating voice of Shaun and the flock, joined by John Sparkes, and Kate Harbour as voice talent in the dialog-free feature.
—
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
When Sneaky Snook in his mail truck happened upon the wreckage near the boundary of Meredith Downs, sheep were scattered along the roadside and the fence, bleating, dazed.
—Literary Hub, 5 Mar. 2026
Here came Corgan, bleating a ballad that was genuinely moving, and people wanted to hear it.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026
The man sitting in front of me—rugged, with a fine Rockwell Kent profile—tips forward and begins to emit gentle, bleating snores.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
And when her furry black-and-white friend follows her — bleating at her heels, eager for more affection — Kusimayu keeps walking.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Dec. 2025
But working with Stockholm Drain Gang veteran Bladee on the remix turns the song into a hyper-pop boss fight, with frenetic and bleating synths piling on the duo’s vocals.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
The goat did a lot of bleating, baa-baa, and Malika joined in for the chorus.
—Joan Silber, New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2025
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
When Sneaky Snook in his mail truck happened upon the wreckage near the boundary of Meredith Downs, sheep were scattered along the roadside and the fence, bleating, dazed.
—Literary Hub, 5 Mar. 2026
Here came Corgan, bleating a ballad that was genuinely moving, and people wanted to hear it.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026
The man sitting in front of me—rugged, with a fine Rockwell Kent profile—tips forward and begins to emit gentle, bleating snores.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
And when her furry black-and-white friend follows her — bleating at her heels, eager for more affection — Kusimayu keeps walking.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Dec. 2025
But working with Stockholm Drain Gang veteran Bladee on the remix turns the song into a hyper-pop boss fight, with frenetic and bleating synths piling on the duo’s vocals.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
The goat did a lot of bleating, baa-baa, and Malika joined in for the chorus.
—Joan Silber, New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bleating
Verb
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Rather than complaining and predicting economic ruin, Americans treated rationing as noble.—
Gil Troy,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Some Toyota fans reacted poorly to the announcement, complaining about the loss of the hybrid version of the Highlander that Toyota has marketed since 2005.—
Keith Laing,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In a large tent, veterinarians and volunteers work together to place an IV into the leg of a small, whimpering puppy.—
Tavleen Tarrant,
NBC news,
28 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Authorities say Valdez had multiple untreated mental health disorders, including schizophrenia, and that he had been seen in Concord earlier in the day screaming at cars.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Williams was celebrating an offensive foul called against Doncic by gleefully screaming in Doncic's personal space.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Shortly after the stool is thrown, her young daughter, who was nearby on the sofa during the fight, can be heard crying.—
Angela Yang,
NBC news,
29 Mar. 2026
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Jamaica born About a hundred people gathered to lay Wilson to rest, singing, crying and laughing while remembering his kind heart, his hard work and his famous barbecue ribs and chicken wings.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Or get ready for a lot of groaning and whining.—
Keely Doll,
Louisville Courier Journal,
25 Mar. 2026
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With LeBron James buying into a supporting actor role, the Lakers are a legitimate threat because Doncic is more focused on scoring buckets than whining to officials.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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One minute later, Pedro Neto was yellow-carded for moaning.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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While lying on the pavement, he could be heard moaning as an officer shouted at him not to move.—
Jose R. Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
13 Dec. 2025
Verb
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In fact, the director was egging me on, encouraging me to go further with the hunching and muttering.—
Andrew Martin,
Vogue,
9 Mar. 2026
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Old friend Daniel Vladar was spectacular in making 26 saves, several of which had Morgan Geekie (nine total shots, five on net, two blocked, two misses) muttering to himself.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bleating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bleating. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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