as in screech
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whinny
Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025
That doesn’t include food for the horses, who start whinnying.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 22 Mar. 2024
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth is one of the oldest proverbs known to humankind, whinnying back at least 1,500 years.
—Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 May 2024
Kenny was large for his age, with a flat, flabby face and a high, whinnying voice.
—Aryn Kyle, Harper's Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024
Waffles, patient and unbothered as onlookers walked around and stopped to gaze, nickered as another horse on the other side of the massive stalls whinnied.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Jan. 2024
Some unidentified whinnying joins the cacophony that accompanies gentrification—brash and brazen, with a total disregard for anything other than its own bullish desire.
—Rebecca Haithcoat, GQ, 5 June 2018
The 10-year-old mare bucked, whinnied, and galloped, sensing the pride of victory.
—Mitchell Gladstone, Philly.com, 2 June 2018
The forecast was calling for rain the next day, an element as necessary for all this — the flowering plant life, the whinnying animal life — as is the sun.
—John Kelly, Washington Post, 29 Apr. 2018
J.t. Townley, The New York Review of Books, 6 Mar. 2025
This works, Brian says, and leans back against the wall, the dog panting less, the faint whinny of a horse, an airplane.
—Paul Yoon, The New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2024
One of the horses fell on its side, its high whinny like a human scream.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2022
Laughter punctuates the exaggerated whinnies, proving that the source is not in fact a horse.
—Kalyn Kahler, SI.com, 11 June 2018
But the methodical, meditative act of grooming a horse — brush, brush, brush — and the smell of hay and the gentle whinnies from the 1,200-pound creature have been therapy for Alger.
—Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 17 May 2018
An astonishing collection of laughs — whinnies, giggles, squeals, snorts, heaves — gradually colors the narrative, until this seemingly harmless man becomes, in effect, not just a witness to savagery, but also an accessory.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2018
Animal grunts and growls, horse neighs and whinnies.
—Charles Desmarais, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Apr. 2018
More important, the track is where Charley meets a pretty quarter horse named Lean on Pete, whose velvety brown coat and barely audible whinnies become a balm for the lonely teenager.
—Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2018
Verb
The downy woodpecker also whinnies like a miniature horse throughout the breeding season.
—Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025
That doesn’t include food for the horses, who start whinnying.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 22 Mar. 2024
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth is one of the oldest proverbs known to humankind, whinnying back at least 1,500 years.
—Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 May 2024
Kenny was large for his age, with a flat, flabby face and a high, whinnying voice.
—Aryn Kyle, Harper's Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024
Waffles, patient and unbothered as onlookers walked around and stopped to gaze, nickered as another horse on the other side of the massive stalls whinnied.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Jan. 2024
Some unidentified whinnying joins the cacophony that accompanies gentrification—brash and brazen, with a total disregard for anything other than its own bullish desire.
—Rebecca Haithcoat, GQ, 5 June 2018
The 10-year-old mare bucked, whinnied, and galloped, sensing the pride of victory.
—Mitchell Gladstone, Philly.com, 2 June 2018
The forecast was calling for rain the next day, an element as necessary for all this — the flowering plant life, the whinnying animal life — as is the sun.
—John Kelly, Washington Post, 29 Apr. 2018
Noun
Wild ponies, svelte & savage, graze in dune grasses, whinny, yawn.
—J.t. Townley, The New York Review of Books, 6 Mar. 2025
This works, Brian says, and leans back against the wall, the dog panting less, the faint whinny of a horse, an airplane.
—Paul Yoon, The New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2024
One of the horses fell on its side, its high whinny like a human scream.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2022
Laughter punctuates the exaggerated whinnies, proving that the source is not in fact a horse.
—Kalyn Kahler, SI.com, 11 June 2018
But the methodical, meditative act of grooming a horse — brush, brush, brush — and the smell of hay and the gentle whinnies from the 1,200-pound creature have been therapy for Alger.
—Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 17 May 2018
An astonishing collection of laughs — whinnies, giggles, squeals, snorts, heaves — gradually colors the narrative, until this seemingly harmless man becomes, in effect, not just a witness to savagery, but also an accessory.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2018
Animal grunts and growls, horse neighs and whinnies.
—Charles Desmarais, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Apr. 2018
More important, the track is where Charley meets a pretty quarter horse named Lean on Pete, whose velvety brown coat and barely audible whinnies become a balm for the lonely teenager.
—Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whinny
Verb
-
Across from them in their usual stalls stood the eight neighing horses.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Jan. 2025
-
The band joked about adding a neighing horse to the intro, and Rimes quickly inserted that sound from his plug-in collection.—
Tom Roland,
Billboard,
30 Jan. 2024
Noun
-
The jungle struck up its evening symphony: the sweet chittering of insects, the distant bellowing of monkeys, the occasional screech of a kite.—
Charlie Cordero,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2025
-
But as the race against former President Trump screeches into its final week, joy has taken the back seat.—
David Lauter,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
The soldiers muttered encouragement; their horses nickered.—
Tom Vanden Brook,
USA TODAY,
6 Jan. 2025
-
Waffles, patient and unbothered as onlookers walked around and stopped to gaze, nickered as another horse on the other side of the massive stalls whinnied.—
James Hartley,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Jan. 2024
Noun
-
Listen for a squeal and know that your prank was a success! 20.—
Kimberly Stoney,
Parents,
19 Mar. 2025
-
Her squeals and giggles echoed across the playground while other kids played soccer or spun on a tire swing.—
Emily Schwing,
ProPublica,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Goats in real life are smart, sensitive social creatures who communicate through bleats and body language.—
Michael Freeman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Feb. 2025
-
Every night the lamb would cry, and be told to hush, for its bleats disturbed their sleep.—
Karen Zautyk,
New York Daily News,
24 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
The Republican conference is rife with sticking points as budget hawks squawk and some House Republicans insist on increasing the state and local tax deduction.—
Taylor Giorno,
The Hill,
30 Dec. 2024
-
There’s no dialogue, at least none decipherable to human ears — everything is a symphony of meows, woofs, squawks, grunts, squeaks, squeals and simian cries.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
20 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
At a few points during his broadcast, the audio could barely be heard due to the bass and the roar of the crowd.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
17 Mar. 2025
-
In an exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants, the three-time MVP belted a two-run home run to right field in the third inning to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 4-0 lead, setting off a roar from the roughly 42,000 fans in attendance.—
David Brandt,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The yelps and shrieks of Drive seemed smothered as though his mouth was full of fur.—
Frank C. Hibben,
Outdoor Life,
13 Feb. 2025
-
Most people know what a yelp sounds like, but probably not all the subtlety within a series of yelps.—
Scott Einsmann,
Outdoor Life,
12 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whinny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whinny. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.
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