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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of howl
Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
Such prices have set off howls of protest from some fans.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 7 May 2026
Richard howled obscenities at three officers who were talking to him through the locked door.
—Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for howl
Noun
The book is treated as confession, a howl of pain, its ‘anguish’ and ‘unflinching honesty’ much praised.
—Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
Such prices have set off howls of protest from some fans.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
What could be a better way to blow off some grief than turning up the amps and howling out more Kimbrough deep cuts?
—Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 7 May 2026
Richard howled obscenities at three officers who were talking to him through the locked door.
—Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for howl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for howl
Noun
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Three species of bats inhabit the site, and supernatural events—including the appearance of the gamekeeper’s ghost and the wail of a banshee—have been reported.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
22 May 2026
-
The wail of fire trucks can be heard as passersby stopped to record the scene.—
Francie Ebert,
NBC news,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
At times, the school board auditorium broke out into shouts between the groups who supported Alzubi’s reassignment and those who opposed it.—
Ciara McCarthy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 June 2026
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With its shout-along hooks and pop drama, Jack Antonoff’s latest isn’t so different from the others, but his myopic views on modern life and celebrity are becoming harder to bear.—
Walden Green,
Pitchfork,
30 May 2026
Noun
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Then Zverev wasted a 3-1 lead in the tiebreaker, which Cobolli concluded with a forehand winner up the line that produced a roar from the crowd.—
Andrew Dampf,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
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Sleek Noise-cancelling Headphones From the roar of the engine to conversations from nearby neighbors, plane travel can often be noisy, even if you’re seated in first class.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
6 June 2026
Verb
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As if each of us isn’t a walking embodiment of our moment, clueless and attuned at once, screaming about one thing and in total denial about another.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
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The first thing many visitors see from their airplane windows is the giant LUMEN screaming up through the Seattle gloom.—
Les Carpenter,
Washington Post,
10 June 2026
Verb
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As the base runners scampered home, tying the game, Chicago players and fans alike shrieked with glee.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
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What is a better visual metaphor for being a woman in America than the sight of Patricia (Kate O’Flynn) tearing through the streets of Widow’s Bay, shrieking for help and finding none, while an out-of-shape freak stalks her and somehow manages to catch up to her?—
Jen Chaney,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
The success of such businesses, including those listed below, is a testament to Chicagoans heeding the cry to action.—
Jessi Roti,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 June 2026
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That resilience takes root in the phrase Haitian fans selected as the rallying cry around the national team.—
Paul Tenorio,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Noun
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While these instruments might be heard loudly on the streets, they have been banned at the World Cup this year in Mexico to prevent excessive noise.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
7 June 2026
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From noise-cancelling headphones to cozy travel wraps, here are the seven travel essentials worth splurging on, according to a luxury travel agent.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Slattery has a knack for giving big performances that also feel nonchalant, almost like he’s been there in that backyard the whole time yelling about lettuce, and a TV production just happened to set up shop around him.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
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Perkins can be seen yelling toward someone, while coaches on his team were pushing him away to alleviate the tension.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Howl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/howl. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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