wail

1 of 3

verb

ˈwāl 

wailed; wailing; wails

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

: to say or express plaintively

wailed that her cake was ruined

2

archaic : bewail

wailer

ˈwā-lər 

noun

wail

2 of 3

noun (1)

1

a

: a usually prolonged cry or sound expressing grief or pain

b

: a sound suggestive of wailing

the wail of an air-raid siren

c

: a querulous expression of grievance : complaint

2

: the act or practice of wailing : loud lamentation

wailer

3 of 3

noun (2)

wail·​er ˈwālə(r) 

plural -s

: one that wails

specifically : a professional mourner

Synonyms of wail

Verb

• complain
• scream
• whine
• moan

Noun (1)

• cry
• tears
• lamentation
• groan
• howl
• mourning
• moan
• lament
• weeping
• sob
• keen

Examples of wail in a Sentence

Verb

The child started wailing after she stumbled and fell.

A saxophone wailed in the background.

“No! I don't want to go!” he wailed.

She wailed that the vacation was ruined.

Noun (1)

the wail of a siren

a prolonged wail arose from every corner of the city as the victims of the earthquake were unearthed from the rubble

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Piercing, unpredictable, wailing, the sirens could make anyone feel a little out of their mind. —Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 6 June 2026

On the soundtrack, mournful wailing music presents her as a tragic character. —Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 2 June 2026

Noun

Three species of bats inhabit the site, and supernatural events—including the appearance of the gamekeeper’s ghost and the wail of a banshee—have been reported. —Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 22 May 2026

The wail of fire trucks can be heard as passersby stopped to record the scene. —Francie Ebert, NBC news, 16 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for wail

• ail
• ale
• bail
• baile
• dail
• fail
• flail
• frail
• gael
• gail
• grail
• hail

Kids Definition

wail

1 of 2 verb

ˈwā(ə)l 

1

: to express sorrow by mournful cries : lament

2

: to make a sound like a mournful cry

3

: to express dissatisfaction : complain

wailer

ˈwā-lər 

noun

wail

2 of 2 noun

1

: a long cry or sound of grief or pain

2

: a sound like a wail

the wail of a siren