1
as in wail
a crying out in grief
we had to endure the puppy's mournful howls on her first night in our house
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2
as in shout
a loud vocal expression of strong emotion
heard howls of laughter from the children watching the clown's silly antics
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3
as in roar
a violent shouting
the crowd let out a howl of protest over the referee's call
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1
2
as in to shriek
to cry out loudly and emotionally
the boy howled in pain when his baby sister bit him
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of howl
Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 3 Feb. 2026
At about two this morning, the familiar howl of air-raid sirens woke me in the center of Kyiv, followed by the low thuds of anti-aircraft cannons attempting to shoot down Russian drones.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Much like the snowstorm outside Williams Arena, the winds howled in another direction with Hopkins getting to the hoop and scoring 17 of the final 20 points for a 32-28 lead at the break.
—Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for howl
Noun
Aquilla Sadalla’s wordless vocals, a gorgeous swell of howls and heaves, complement the arrangement without becoming the focal point.
—Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 3 Feb. 2026
At about two this morning, the familiar howl of air-raid sirens woke me in the center of Kyiv, followed by the low thuds of anti-aircraft cannons attempting to shoot down Russian drones.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
That way, their songs can be carried farther to potential mates, without the noisy interruption of a howling wind.
—Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Much like the snowstorm outside Williams Arena, the winds howled in another direction with Hopkins getting to the hoop and scoring 17 of the final 20 points for a 32-28 lead at the break.
—Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for howl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for howl
Noun
-
And from the stage, the unmistakable wail of a harmonica cut through the warm April air.—
Walker Armstrong,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
There was grit and grime to his feedback-heavy guitar wails, but there was sweep and grandeur too, more apparent on stage than on record.—
Piet Levy,
jsonline.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Even when all she’s given to do is shout, the show is broad enough to contain her.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Lane uses his loud, outside voice to excellent effect, his shouts of exasperation and anger giving way to instant regret and recrimination.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The loudest roar of the day coming when the punter dotted a shot into the 1-yard line.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
-
For the first time in this series, the Rogers Centre crowd rose to a roar.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Kaley denied being abused or neglected, though Meta’s attorneys did show some Instagram posts about her mother screaming at her.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
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In a sea of gray-toned suits and uniforms, the woman trying to soothe her crying baby comes across as an outlier even before a belligerent young salaryman starts screaming at her for disturbing the peace.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The angry purists shrieked their response, rattling their Converse sneakers in their fists, to remind everyone that trades and free agents aren’t part of college basketball.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Then the lights went out in the store, and one of the clerks shrieked in the dark, and another told her to remain calm.—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
My sister, Louise, had spent hours perfecting the screechy, imperious cry of Starscream, only to use it when phoning the takeaway and ordering curry sauce and chips.—
Douglas Stuart,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
-
That, of course, and the occasional ghostly presences, unsettling cries, and blood dripping from the ceiling.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management warned residents that demolition may produce loud noises and advised them to close their windows.—
Joe Brandt,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
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The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park fought the noise of campus hoopla to present Duke Ellington's sacred music at Knowles Chapel.—
Matthew J. Palm,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Gennett's wife, Valerie Giacobbe, yelled toward the entourage.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
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Magnano immediately yelled for Jones to drop the knife before Jones began walking toward him with the blade still in his hand, the footage showed.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Howl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/howl. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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