1
as in cry
a crying out in grief
a prolonged wail arose from every corner of the city as the victims of the earthquake were unearthed from the rubble
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in groan
a long low sound indicating pain or grief
rescuers heard a faint wail coming from the pile of rubble, a sure sign that one of the victims was still alive
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in whine
an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment
a transit fare increase that is sure to bring wails from the straphangers
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1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
the state's residents are always wailing about their high taxes
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2
3
as in to groan
to utter a moan
the patient lay in her bed, occasionally softly wailing in pain
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of wail
Byron Hurd, The Drive, 29 Apr. 2026
Mitchell has made the point before that every new technology brings wails that the fish won’t survive.
—Mike McFeely, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026
Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 2 June 2026
Founders of Avatech’s mentee companies, seated in front of their laptops, clapped and banged their hands on tables to the distinctive stomp-stomp-clap beat of the song as an electric guitar wailed.
—Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wail
Noun
The resulting wail is certainly not kitten-like, sounding more like a cross between a sport bike and a completely uncorked race car.
—Byron Hurd, The Drive, 29 Apr. 2026
Mitchell has made the point before that every new technology brings wails that the fish won’t survive.
—Mike McFeely, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
On the soundtrack, mournful wailing music presents her as a tragic character.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 2 June 2026
Founders of Avatech’s mentee companies, seated in front of their laptops, clapped and banged their hands on tables to the distinctive stomp-stomp-clap beat of the song as an electric guitar wailed.
—Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wail
Noun
-
The little one’s first cries somehow complete the circle.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 June 2026
-
The soundtrack of sneaker squeaks, rallying cries, and bouncing basketballs found visual complement in the crayon box of jerseys coloring the city in various shades of hometown pride.—
Kat Chen,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Young climbed into a box, which Strange then stabbed repeatedly, prompting groans from the audience.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 June 2026
-
Still, the night had enough laughs, groans and tender moments to keep things interesting.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Test recordings sounded clear and full, and the noise cancellation completely blocked out the buzz and whine of my 3D printer.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
14 June 2026
-
Lee's voice has always been Sui generis, a distinctive instrument caught between a whine and a yelp yet immediately recognizable.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
At one practice during the fall of 2024, Washington’s assistant athletic director of football academics Diamond Brown was standing on the sideline when Jonah bounded up to her in full pads and begun complaining about his grade in a music class.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
21 June 2026
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How to complain with flair at a restaurant when things go awry?—
The Editors,
Robb Report,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
Jingoists howled with rage that a foreigner—no, worse, a German—had got the England job.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
18 June 2026
-
Up in the stands, fans waved their own flags — including some sneaked in over the objections of FIFA and the courts — and wrestled with emotions, as boos, howls and hisses rained down from all corners of the stadium.—
Rick Maese,
Washington Post,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Musselwhite punctuated the music with his harmonica trills and moans while his right knee bounced in time with the rhythms.—
Kevin McKeough,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2026
-
And yes, that sound will dissipate and soon will be too faint for my human ears as it is absorbed into space, but Renee Gladman writes that spaces moan.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Unlike standard eye drops that get washed away by tears within minutes, living eye drops use bacteria that colonize the eye and continuously release therapeutic proteins after a single application.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
-
Her husband Ve Bui accepted the honor, holding back tears.—
Darcel Rockett,
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
This is not the kid-crying, shoulder-to-shoulder type of resort; outside of newer guests, there are families who have been coming here for years and understand the groove of it all, from toddlers to teenagers.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 June 2026
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According to the complaint, her brother, who has developmental disabilities, frequently interrupts class with his crying since his mother was detained.—
Laura Tillman,
Hartford Courant,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wail. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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