as in vocal
engaging in or marked by loud and insistent cries especially of protest
caterwauling fans vented on the talk radio show when news of the trade of the team's star player came to light
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in complaining
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
like many kids during summer vacation, they were caterwauling about the lack of things to do
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of caterwauling
Barbara Spindel, Christian Science Monitor, 24 Mar. 2025
Verb
As a musician, Ono was known for singing in what has been described as a screechy, caterwauling voice, and many of her musical collaborations with Lennon were baffling to Beatles fans.
—Barbara Spindel, Christian Science Monitor, 24 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caterwauling
Adjective
-
Larsson’s vocal performance on the single was commanding, and the song’s replay value was endless.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
11 May 2026
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Yet McIlroy — who has been vocal in the past about LIV — is dialing back his previous criticism of the tour and remaining optimistic about the future should the league fold.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
Verb
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There have been 72 police reports filed in the past three months alone, complaining that mailed checks have been stolen and washed by criminals who are cashing them for tens of thousands of dollars.—
J.D. Miles,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
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While there are some athletes complaining about representing the United States on a global stage, the hockey players have embraced being proud of wearing the red, white and blue.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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In a statement posted to X, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the blatant act of antisemitism and vowed to hold those responsible accountable for the graffiti.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
6 May 2026
-
In the past year, a split between the City Council and the mayor has not only become noticeable, but blatant at many of the biweekly meetings.—
Rachel Royster
May 5,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 May 2026
Verb
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On the night that everything changed, one of them would end the night screaming, and the other, in my opinion, didn't scream enough.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
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Dramatic doorbell camera video shows the moment the man ran out of her home, and Cooper can be heard screaming in the background.—
Tara Lynch,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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Rex Reed, the prominent and outspoken film critic and journalist known for his longtime column in The New York Observer, died Tuesday.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
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Call it another twist in the story of an accidental heartthrob turned self-effacing star — or simply the irony of teller and tale — but despite his discomfort with visibility, Arlaud has become one of the most outspoken left-wing voices in contemporary French cinema.—
Ben Croll,
IndieWire,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Last week, the whining noise of unmanned flying objects could be heard in the city of Moscow once again.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
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Luke's demise and Boyega's whining about the Black stormtrooper weren't the only reasons Disney's three movies failed.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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Now every aspect, all day, every day, is swirling in a tornado of vociferous opinion and mockery.—
Amy Lawrence,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
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The emblematic events of the 1960s—demands to end the Vietnam War, equally vociferous demands for racial equity, a growing embrace among the young of their power as agents of change—often originated or found dramatic (even traumatic) expression on campus.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But a male voice could be heard moaning in the background.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
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One minute later, Pedro Neto was yellow-carded for moaning.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Caterwauling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caterwauling. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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