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
  • They are greeted by shouts of the lucky ARMY members on hand to witness the warm-up, as the men take their turns on the mic before heading to the green room to chill.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 15 Oct. 2026
  • First of all, a special shout out should go to whomever came up with the Coastal Carolina branded Game Boy Color.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of shout
Noun
  • Maybe the Dodger fans, who showed striking apathy in the playoffs, will return to their post-dynasty roars because of this.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • After co-headlining with Charli xcx at the peak of Brat Summer, Sivan was struck by his post-show emotional crash, when the roar of stadiums gave way to the quiet of being totally on his own.
    — Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 14 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 21 Oct. 2026.

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