1
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
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2
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bawl
Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Specifically, during a phone call Sullivan had with Eric after the ordeal, which marked a low point for the series as Eric launched into a verbal tirade while cameras captured Sullivan crumpled into a bawling heap.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
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
Verb
Crowds of hundreds with their heads lowered bawled loudly in unison; others fell to the ground and shook in their grief.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Specifically, during a phone call Sullivan had with Eric after the ordeal, which marked a low point for the series as Eric launched into a verbal tirade while cameras captured Sullivan crumpled into a bawling heap.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 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
-
Officials said that after Cooper’s arrest, the first victim, a runaway, was crying hysterically and denied any involvement in prostitution.—
Samantha Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
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Though the arrest took place over three years ago, the case faced new scrutiny in March when TMZ published a video of the altercation, showing Paul yelling, putting Mortensen in a headlock and throwing chairs at him while a child could be heard crying.—
Luke Chinman,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Though the arrest took place over three years ago, the case faced new scrutiny in March when TMZ published a video of the altercation, showing Paul yelling, putting Mortensen in a headlock and throwing chairs at him while a child could be heard crying.—
Luke Chinman,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
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McLaughlin could be heard yelling on his camera video.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Is such an existential shriek into the abyss, all while living in a society suffused by mind-numbing grief and nationalism, worth subjecting yourself to?—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 Mar. 2026
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Lee’s introduction of Liu sparked shrieks, mostly among young students from the nearby Oakland School for the Arts, which Liu also attended for one semester.—
Ron Kroichick,
San Francisco Chronicle,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The dispatcher then asked who the woman was sobbing in the background.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
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Cassie, who doesn’t seem very concerned about Nate, sobs on the floor in disbelief, covered in blood and shocked that someone could disrupt what should be the perfect end to her evening.—
Zoe Papelis,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At one point, the crew shot a scene in which Whalen’s character joins a bar fight, shouting invectives at a hapless extra before pummelling him to the ground.—
Chang Che,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
One final command was shouted by the officer.—
Brian Day,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Both motors stay at or below 45 dBA even at full power, something that will genuinely surprise anyone used to the whine of current-generation motors.—
Omar Kardoudi
April 10,
New Atlas,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The whine from that straight-cut gearbox alone is painfully loud, say nothing of the wide-open exhaust on the 4.0 L flat-six.—
Tim Stevens,
ArsTechnica,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Then the speakers’ exhortations to excellence would build in emotional intensity until women began to weep and the meeting erupted in spontaneous pledges to set new personal bests.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The moment his name was called, McDonald began to weep.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
One resident wakes up to a hooded stranger preparing to stab her and silently points them to her sleeping husband rather than scream.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
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On the bright side for Smith, he's still getting paid millions to scream into a camera and show up courtside to stir drama.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bawl. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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