howl 1 of 2

Definition of howlnext

howl

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to scream
to make a long loud mournful sound several coyotes began howling close by as the sun went down the wind howled on the open plain

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in to shriek
to cry out loudly and emotionally the boy howled in pain when his baby sister bit him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 howl
Noun
My 2-year-old daughter’s howls of protest echoed through the previously silent forest of towering Norway spruce. Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 30 Apr. 2026 But listen carefully as the howls of anger and anguish are even louder coming out of Philly and Beantown. Bill Madden, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
By the fourth quarter, this game was over, leaving it to Kennard to send the crowd howling into the night by supplying three fourth-quarter treys on three attempts and making a Game 1 MVP out of Rob Pelinka. Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026 The Midwest wind howled throughout the evening, up to nearly 30 mph. Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for howl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for howl
Noun
  • Her wails of pain were audible on TV broadcasts as medics tended to her before a helicopter finally carried her away.
    Becky Sullivan, NPR, 6 May 2026
  • Within moments, a smoke detector wails.
    Cyrus Farivar, ArsTechnica, 2 May 2026
Noun
  • Organizers for Eurovision said that a few of the disruptive attendees were removed from the arena, and their shouts were edited out of the performance clip posted by Eurovision online.
    Andrew Flanagan, Variety, 13 May 2026
  • Soderbergh rarely missteps, and this is one of his most underrated films — a perfectly paced angry shout of a movie that matches its captivating leading man.
    Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 11 May 2026
Noun
  • Schwarber walked, and Harper followed with his 11th homer of the season, a monster shot that made the significant chunk of the PNC Park crowd who made the five-hour drive across the state roar with approval.
    CBS News, CBS News, 16 May 2026
  • Lee slid in safely with a head-first slide to tie the game at two apiece, letting out a cathartic roar towards his dugout from his knees.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • One morning in 2013, before the sun had risen, Hiba and Ibrahim heard gunshots and screams.
    Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
  • Also, there was an element of danger, and doing a scene that is really arduous, achieving an emotional peak for an amount of time and performing physical acts and screaming [about] a matter of life and death.
    Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 13 May 2026
Verb
  • Then a fleet of America’s Cup AC50 catamarans — 50-foot carbon-fiber flying behemoths — came shrieking past Calico Jack’s at speeds approaching 50 knots.
    Andrew Rice, New York Times, 8 May 2026
  • Nearby, children rode floaties atop the clear blue water, shrieking with delight as their parents lounged beneath umbrellas.
    Ada Calhoun, Travel + Leisure, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • Rallying cries were common before key games, particularly those where Everton’s top-flight status was on the line.
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 15 May 2026
  • Her friends and family cry in relief.
    Kayti Burt, Time, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • Thousands of fans were outside the Bell Centre watching the game, and the 20,962 fans filled the arena with ear-splitting noise before puck drop.
    Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 17 May 2026
  • Write it down, step back from noise, and let the truth settle.
    Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • Adonis yells as Gillis begs him to pull over.
    Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 15 May 2026
  • In the video, which was captured by a bystander and later shared online, Cardi can be seen yelling at the NFL player, 32.
    Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Howl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/howl. Accessed 18 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on howl

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster