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
Leithauser was the distinctive, often howling voice of the Walkmen, while Rostam was a songwriter and producer in Vampire Weekend. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 17 Sep. 2026 Coyotes are territorial and many reports of bold coyotes visiting yards, howling or threatening larger dogs can often be attributed to this territorial behavior. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 16 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 stadium went silent, save for the shouts from the visiting team’s dugout.
    — Nicolas Villamil, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
  • His final words drowned in a din of shouts and sparkling spray, as the Astros feted an aspiration fulfilled.
    — Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of shout
Noun
  • The roar of the engines vibrated through the fuselage, rattling bones and teeth, while supply crates shifted and groaned with every lurch.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Finally, the structure crumbled in a roar of broken concrete and a cloud of dust.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of roar
Verb
  • In June 2016, Blair, who was returning to Los Angeles from a vacation in Cancun, Mexico, began screaming uncontrollably and causing chaos on the flight.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Back in California, Dodgers fans screamed at their television sets.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 12 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
  • Over cries of foul from those who came in person, the board’s attorney Shayla Myers announced the meeting was canceled because the Zoom channel had a capacity of only 1,000.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Angry but empathetic, frank in its darkness but refusing to wallow in it, Tip Toe is a cry of frustration that cuts right to the heart.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of cry
Noun
  • Having produced one such number per participant, the standard approach then pools all of them into a group average, on the assumption that individual differences are noise that will be canceled out.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The Trojans have to do more than navigate crowd noise to post their first victory there.
    — Jordan Puente, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of noise
Verb
  • During one middle school mariachi practice, an instructor encourages a girl to come out of her shell and yell excitedly.
    — Jessica Hill, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The HomeView can also share intercom-style broadcasts to any other room equipped with smart speakers, sparing you the need to yell up the stairs when dinner is ready.
    — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of yell

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Cite this Entry

“Howl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/howl. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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