BAWL Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

bawl 1 of 2

verb

ˈbȯl

Definition of bawl

as in to cry

to shed tears often while making meaningless sounds as a sign of pain or distress he bawled for days after his dog died

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to yell

to speak so as to be heard at a distance the mover was bawling for help as the refrigerator was about to slip out of his hands

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bawl

2 of 2

noun

as in shriek

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of bawl

Verb

Al-Hashimi ends up bawling in her car about Robby’s lack of empathy and perhaps the hypocrisy of it all. — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2026 Besides playing the original Lehman brothers, the three actors also play the men’s wives, sons, in-laws, politicians, business partners, tech bros and even a bawling baby. — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026

Noun

Instead, similar to other animals, newborn babies produce a heartbreaking (and ear-piercing) bawl. — Jeremy Engle, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024 As the weekend’s big game approached, David Singleton could have staged his own super bawl. — Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2022 See All Example Sentences for bawl

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bawl

Verb

In court, Lindsay appeared to cry during opening statements when a prosecutor described her three children and their manner of death.

— Selena Barrientos, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026
When the Kirk family attorney spoke about how Charlie Kirk stood for the opposite of hate, Erika Kirk was crying and nodding along.

— Andi Babineau, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of cry

Verb

Stop and think of what the same bozos yelling about Sweeney would say if Lizzo was holding a couple of footballs over her rack.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026
An employee who knew about Elliott’s miscarriage and worked that day also witnessed Sanders yelling at Elliott.

— Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of yell

Noun

The eye chart reads like a shriek, and the teddy bear has extra limbs.

— John Wilkerson, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026
From 2007 through 2024, a similar shriek, from another eagle, could pull the attention of 20,000 men, women and children from the hot dogs in their laps and the game programs in their hands to the skies above.

— Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of shriek

Verb

Officers described the videos recorded by that camera, writing that Westman seemed agitated after a visit with family and at times sobbed before driving by the church and school the night before the attack.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026
After the 911 audio concluded, a recess was called and she was wheeled from the room sobbing loudly.

— Kerry Breen, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of sob

Verb

Alonso threw his bat and shouted toward his teammates in the visiting dugout upon impact — an image Mets fans can instantly recall from his most famous long ball with New York in 2024’s wild-card series.

— Will Sammon, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Emmys presenter and huge fan Marcello Hernández shouted out the newlyweds from the stage, saying hi to Zendaya.

— Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of shout

Verb

Many around the world looked in horror last month at images of a Ukrainian grandmother weeping as the body of her grandson was pulled from the rubble of his home following a Russian missile attack.

— Marc A. Thiessen, Washington Post, 3 Sep. 2026
Dil Maya Lama stood weeping outside the help desk at the hospital, searching for information about her missing 26-year-old brother, a driver for a hydropower company in Rasuwa.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of weep

Verb

There were hugs and high fives, and jubilant screams from a winning locker room could be heard clearly in the adjacent news conference room and by anyone walking through the hallway.

— Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Kolb also pushed another protester who was screaming about getting wool off the runway, covering the protester’s mouth and pulling a banner out of his hands, until he was escorted out.

— Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 13 Sep. 2026

Definition of scream

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“Bawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bawl. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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noun

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Synonyms of bawl

verb

noun

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Cite this Entry

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