English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
noun

bleat

BLEET
noun
1
The cry a sheep or goat makes.
"The lamb's bleat carried across the field."
verb
1
Of a sheep or goat, to make its characteristic cry.
"The goats bleated impatiently at feeding time."
2
Of a person, to complain in a weak or whining way.
"He kept bleating about how unfair the decision was."

How to Use Bleat

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe sound sheep make, or (used about people) whiny, ineffective complaining.

Easily confused with
Common pairings
bleat about something sheep bleating

Word Forms

bleated past tense, bleats plural, bleats singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “bleat” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The lamb's _____ carried across the field.

Etymology

From Old English "blǣtan," an imitation of the sound sheep and goats make.

Rhymes for bleat

See all rhymes for bleat →
Definitions: FreeDict original editorial