as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
like many kids during summer vacation, they were caterwauling about the lack of things to do
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Recent Examples of caterwaul
Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2023
An ambulance caterwauled down Sunset Boulevard, which runs parallel one block below.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Oct. 2022
Until Ivey and the Department of Corrections can explain how the prison construction program caterwauled out of control, lawmakers should put the brakes on all state spending.
—Kyle Whitmire, al, 17 Mar. 2023
Republicans could caterwaul about the skyrocketing debt without actually having to do anything about it except express their disapproval. Getting most creative.
—Zachary B. Wolf, CNN, 29 Sep. 2021
In a season of a lively baseball, the Twins hit a silly number of home runs and came caterwauling out of the great north and took their division.
—Michael Powell, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2019
The media–Democrat caterwauling over Trump’s election-rigging spiel was not rooted in patriotic commitment to the American democratic tradition of accepting election outcomes.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 16 Aug. 2019
Media outlets that caterwaul about all this become the victims of commercial crises.
—The Economist, 21 June 2018
This lets Congress caterwaul on behalf of special interests while blaming Presidents for not punishing foreigners.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 7 June 2018
Noun
That said, Shelton’s lyrics are much more darkly relatable and heartbreaking than someone caterwauling about being their own worst enemy.
—Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2023
An ambulance caterwauled down Sunset Boulevard, which runs parallel one block below.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Oct. 2022
Until Ivey and the Department of Corrections can explain how the prison construction program caterwauled out of control, lawmakers should put the brakes on all state spending.
—Kyle Whitmire, al, 17 Mar. 2023
Republicans could caterwaul about the skyrocketing debt without actually having to do anything about it except express their disapproval. Getting most creative.
—Zachary B. Wolf, CNN, 29 Sep. 2021
In a season of a lively baseball, the Twins hit a silly number of home runs and came caterwauling out of the great north and took their division.
—Michael Powell, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2019
The media–Democrat caterwauling over Trump’s election-rigging spiel was not rooted in patriotic commitment to the American democratic tradition of accepting election outcomes.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 16 Aug. 2019
Media outlets that caterwaul about all this become the victims of commercial crises.
—The Economist, 21 June 2018
This lets Congress caterwaul on behalf of special interests while blaming Presidents for not punishing foreigners.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 7 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caterwaul
Verb
-
Some residents and candidates have complained that Area Towing often overcharged customers, unaware of the costs when getting their vehicles towed.—
Niraj Warikoo,
Freep.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Republicans complain about the district’s heavy Democratic lean.—
Naomi Lim,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Squeeze the throttle pedal firmly to the carpet and the engine room answers with more forward thrust, the 9-speed kicking down several gears nearly instantly, and the car rushing onward with accompaniment of a classic but subtle straight six yowl.—
Mark Ewing,
Forbes.com,
2 Aug. 2025
-
Liam sang most of the songs in his reedy yowl, all charisma with his hands pulled behind his back, head tilted up toward the sky and a parka often inexplicably zipped all the way up to his chin.—
Paula Mejía,
Vulture,
5 July 2025
Verb
-
There's just a million things available and everything's screaming at you.—
Omaid Homayun,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Noem screams, before spotting a service dog in the crowd and shooting it.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
People chatter, kids laugh, seagulls screech and birds chirp.—
Zareen Syed,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Cicadas are back at it again in 2025, already emerging in droves to announce the approach of summer with their screeches.—
Jack Knudson,
Discover Magazine,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
The Blue Heeler/Catahoula mix doesn’t just whine and bark.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
12 Aug. 2025
-
The sales exceptions seem to be backlist dystopian fiction and books by and for the fascists, that is, right-wing memoir and culture war whining.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
But in peacetime, the nation often retreats into suspicion: frowning on success, moaning about profit, and wrapping ambition in red tape.—
London Business School,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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The sound of a heavy machine motor moaned from a tractor evening out the soil covering an oval enclosure, about the size of a football field.—
Jon-Michael Banks,
Kansas City Star,
31 July 2025
Noun
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The animals use complex clicks, squawks and whistles to call out to each other, fight and attract a mate.—
Sara Hashemi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
25 Apr. 2025
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The show is thrilling as a sensory experience, humming with sinister percussive beats and the occasional muffled animal squawk in the distance.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
When the full-time whistle blew, there was a huge roar and fist pump from Tottenham’s Kevin Danso.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
31 July 2025
-
Williams roasted rising corner DJ James on the touchdown, which drew a roar from the crowd.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
30 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Caterwaul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caterwaul. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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