whimpering

IPA/ˈwɪm.pər/
KK[wˈɪmpɚɪŋ]IPA/ˈwɪm.pɚ/

whimpering — verb

  • whimperingpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • whimperings3rd person singular
  • whimperinging-ing form
  • whimperingedpast simple

1. to produce a series of soft, high-pitched sounds that show you are hurt, afraid,

1.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to produce a series of soft, high-pitched sounds that show you are hurt, afraid, or very sad — used especially when describing animals or children, but also of adults in extreme distress.

Example

The puppy whimpered softly as Mateo cleaned the cut on its paw.

whimper + as-clause for simultaneous action

Sahil heard a dog whimpering outside the locked garden gate.

passive perception: hear + object + whimpering

Common collocations
  • whimper softly
  • whimper in pain
  • whimper with fear
  • whimper quietly
Synonyms
  • whine

    a longer, louder, more persistent sound; 'whine' often suggests annoyance rather than pain

  • cry

    more general and stronger — 'cry' includes tears and is not specific to animals

  • whinge

    British informal, used only for complaining, never for animals or physical pain

Antonyms
  • roar

    a loud, strong sound showing confidence or anger

  • shout

    a forceful vocal expression, the opposite of a weak sound

Grammar Patterns

whimper + prepositional phrase (in pain, with fear)

whimper + as-clause

Usage Note

Commonly used for animals (especially dogs, cats, injured wildlife); for adult humans it suggests a loss of control or extreme pain.

Common Mistakes

The dog whined loudly at the door.' (when you mean it was making soft pained sounds).
The dog whimpered softly after the accident.
'whine' is a longer, louder, more drawn-out sound; 'whimper' is shorter, weaker, more broken.

whimpering — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All three describe sounds of distress, but they differ in tone, duration, and who produces them. 'Whine' is louder and more drawn-out than 'whimper', often suggesting annoyance or a demand for attention rather than genuine pain; a dog whines at the door to be let out, but it whimpers if it is hurt. 'Cry' is the broadest term, covering everything from sobbing to shouting in grief, and it almost always implies tears — it is not limited to weak or broken sounds. 'Whinge' is British informal and strictly about verbal complaining — it never refers to animal sounds or physical pain. For example, a cat that has been stepped on will whimper (not whinge); a child who is bored may whine (not whimper) about being stuck indoors.

whine ↗cry ↗whinge ↗

Common collocations

Prepositions

Etymology

English dialectEnglish

The word 'whimper' comes from an old English dialect word 'whim' or 'whimp', meaning 'to cry softly'. It may be related to the sound of the word itself — a 'whimper' is a weak, breathy sound, and the word seems to imitate that sound. The '-er' ending is a frequentative suffix that suggests repeated or continuous action, so 'whimper' means 'to make a series of quiet crying sounds'. The earliest recorded use in English was in the early 1500s. The noun form developed later from the verb, first describing the sound itself and later (by the 1800s) taking on the figurative meaning of a weak complaint.

First known use

1513

1513, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Noun