howl 1 of 2

noun

Definition of howlnext
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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howl

2 of 2

verb

ˈhau̇(-ə)l How to pronounce howl (audio)
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

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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 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
The Slingshot surges forward as the tach swings toward redline, the exhaust emitting a guttural howl. — William Roberson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Their chorus of howls and yowls was all that kept them connected to the hunters who lagged far behind. — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
The masked figure then loops back, and a howling Wood appears in the frame. — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026 Late one night in October, 2017, Jane Marx, a landscape architect in the wine country of Northern California, woke up to the smell of smoke and the sound of an eerie, howling wind. — Ingfei Chen, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for howl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for howl
  1. wail
  2. shout
  3. roar
  4. scream
  5. shriek
  6. cry
  7. noise
  8. yell
Noun
  • Feverish with feeling, the women scream, wail and sob, each one experiencing her misery multiply in real time as the remaining two look on in disdain.
    — Natalia Winkelman, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
  • No wet plop of a SpongeBob ice cream bar crashing onto hot asphalt; a child’s apocalyptic wails ensuing.
    — Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of wail
Noun
  • The shouts of rejection came in part because there was a plausible scenario under which James would have opened the season at Madison Square Garden in a Knicks uniform.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • No day in Gaza is normal, but Friday stood out for its shouts of delight as athletes pulled trucks, flipped massive tires and heaved weights in a strength competition that drew cheering crowds.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of shout
Noun
  • The highlight of the play during a montage that was shown on the overhead videoboard set off some of the loudest roars of the night.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The Gators’ front let out its strongest roar in the fourth quarter with a fourth-and-1 stop that led to a rushing touchdown by Baugh, cementing a 27-17 lead.
    — Noah White, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of roar
Verb
  • Bizarrely, Jones wasn't happy about it, immediately shoving Cullen's hand off him and starting a screaming match.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • In Whalefall, Abrams screams and thrashes with the same vulnerability, and a few more inner demons.
    — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of scream
Verb
  • On the lawn, a mechanical bull bounced shrieking children into the air.
    — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The addition of the electric guitar, drums and Jack White’s shrieking vocals transformed it into a rock song, while also keeping its signature folksiness.
    — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of shriek
Noun
  • Her friend’s cries mixed with the sound of police car sirens before officers arrived and escorted students and staff out the building.
    — Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
  • When news got around that a new movie version of Sense and Sensibility was in the works, cries of dismay rang forth from Bath to Brooklyn.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of cry
Noun
  • Stewart and Addyman meanwhile surveyed more than 2,000 parents to identify noises their babies responded to, which included animal sounds and other children’s laughter (both of which feature in the song).
    — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • North Crowley continues impressive season Ahead of the season, North Crowley was expected to make some noise.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of noise
Verb
  • Moshier remembers when the team stopped at a fast-food restaurant on a road trip and Murphy yelled for everyone to get back to the bus.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Hill yelled at Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson after Wilson was accidentally knocked into him during Minnesota's game against Miami.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of yell

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however
howl
howled
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Cite this Entry

“Howl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/howl. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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