wail

verb

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\ ˈwāl

wailed; wailing; wails

Definition of wail

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

wail

noun

Definition of wail (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : 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

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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 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 But Iraqi pilgrims will also wail for the 110 people, all Shia, whom their government has killed during recent protests. — The Economist, "Streets of fury Iraq’s government seems powerless to halt protests in the Shia heartland," 10 Oct. 2019 Here, Miss Wiggles is still swiveling, Mays’ guitar is still wailing and the applause never stops. — Vincent T. Davis, ExpressNews.com, "Legendary blues guitarist Curley Mays thrilled crowds in San Antonio and hot spots across the country," 16 Dec. 2019 No one who has attended past Schumacher-Weldon sessions would have been surprised by the power and drive of this music, Schumacher’s gravelly baritone counterbalanced by Weldon’s wailing tenor. — Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, "Opera and jazz reviews: Radvanovsky excels in Lyric’s ‘Three Queens’; rambunctious saxes at Green Mill," 27 Nov. 2019 Larry Scott, the commissioner of the Pac-12 whose statement (which Scott didn’t even have the guts to sign) on the new law also wailed about how this would negatively affect nonrevenue athletes, makes more than $5 million annually. — John Feinstein, The Denver Post, "Guest Commentary: California was right to pass the Fair Pay to Play Act. Don’t buy into the NCAA’s propaganda.," 3 Oct. 2019 An opera singer warbled, loudly off-key; strollers ferrying wailing children bumped along at desk height, which is roughly where his windowsill falls. — BostonGlobe.com, "At expanded Peabody Essex Museum, a new director strives to put people over things - The Boston Globe," 27 Sep. 2019 In Miyagi, trucks circulated in neighborhoods urging people to evacuate, sirens wailed and smartphones were bombarded with emails urging evacuations. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Flooded bullet trains show Japan’s risks from disasters," 15 Oct. 2019 Parents wailed at the scene of The Precious Talent Top School in Nairobi. — Fox News, "At least 7 killed as school collapses in Kenya's capital," 23 Sep. 2019 When her child was killed in battle, Brigid invented keening, a low, wailing lament that rolled up out of her and across the land. — Carmel Mc Mahon, Longreads, "Brigid, Magdalene, My Mother, and Me," 13 Nov. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun My 14-month-old couldn’t pull himself out of a tearful spell, and after about an hour of trying to calm him, the sound of his wails through everyone’s special occasion had taken its toll on both of us. — Beth Spotswood, SFChronicle.com, "Perceptive parents give peace a chance," 6 Jan. 2020 The four-banger let out a full-throated wail over 5,600 rpms that would wake the dead. — Tribune News Service, cleveland, "The racy Honda Civic Si just wants to have fun (auto review)," 7 Dec. 2019 In one photo, all three of the Christina on the Coast and Flip or Flop star’s children pose underneath the Christmas tree as Taylor snuggles up to her baby brother, who was busy letting out a wail. — Jen Juneau, PEOPLE.com, "Christina Anstead’s 12-Week-Old Son Can't Keep His Eyes Open in Family Thanksgiving Snaps," 29 Nov. 2019 Shahid remembers visiting her there, among the wails and curses of the patients. — Ellen Barry, New York Times, "The Jungle Prince of Delhi," 22 Nov. 2019 The wails of pain of those who loved 20-year-old Murtada al-Muhamadawi are soul crushing. — Arwa Damon, CNN, "Iraqi protesters say they have videos of government atrocities. An internet blackout is stopping the world from seeing them," 9 Oct. 2019 Commotion muffled the sound, yet the wail managed to break through the noise. — Samantha Leach, Glamour, "At a Romance Cover Shoot, There’s No Such Thing As Too Much Wind Machine," 3 Dec. 2019 SpongeBob belts out about his dream to manage the Krusty Krab; its greedy owner, Mr. Krabs (Brian Ray Norris), wails of his love of money. — Tribune News Service, oregonlive, "‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ musical heads to TV as part of show’s 20th anniversary celebration," 3 Dec. 2019 Working the laptop nearby, Julien occasionally adds the lonely wail of a saxophone, layering a melancholy Vangelis Blade Runner vibe to the proceedings. — Nicolas Stecher, Billboard, "Morocco's Moga Festival Shines Bright With Blond:ish, Kenny Dope and Local Roots," 22 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wail.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.