wail

¹wail

verb \ˈwāl\

Definition of WAIL

intransitive verb

1

: to express sorrow audibly : lament

2

: to make a sound suggestive of a mournful cry

3

: to express dissatisfaction plaintively : complain

transitive verb

1

archaic : bewail

2

: to say or express plaintively <wailed that her cake was ruined>

— wail·er \ˈwā-lər\ noun

Examples of WAIL

1. The child started wailing after she stumbled and fell.
2. A saxophone wailed in the background.
3. “No! I don't want to go!” he wailed.
4. She wailed that the vacation was ruined.

Origin of WAIL

Middle English weilen, waylen, perhaps modification (influenced by Middle English weilawei wellaway) of Old Norse væla, vāla to wail; akin to Old Norse vei woe — more at woe

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to WAIL

Synonyms: beef, bellyache, bitch, bleat, carp, caterwaul, crab, croak, fuss, gripe, grizzle, grouch, grouse, growl, grumble, grump, holler, inveigh, keen, kick, kvetch, maunder [chiefly British], moan, murmur, mutter, nag, repine, scream, squawk, squeal, complain, whimper, whine, whinge [British], yammer, yawp (or yaup), yowl

Antonyms: crow, delight, rejoice

Related Words: object (to), protest, quarrel (with); cavil, quibble; fret, stew, worry; blubber, cry, sob; bemoan, bewail, deplore, lament

Near Antonyms: accept, bear, countenance, endure, take, tolerate; applaud, cheer, commend

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with WAIL

ail, ale, bail, bale, Bâle, brail, braille, Braille, dale, fail, flail, frail, Gael, gale, Gale, grail, hail, hale, jail, kale, mail, male, nail, pail, pale, quail, Quayle, rail, sail, sale, scale, shale, snail, stale, swale, tael, tail, taille, tale, trail, vail, vale, veil, wale, whale, Yale