1
as in cry
a crying out in grief
a prolonged wail arose from every corner of the city as the victims of the earthquake were unearthed from the rubble
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in groan
a long low sound indicating pain or grief
rescuers heard a faint wail coming from the pile of rubble, a sure sign that one of the victims was still alive
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in whine
an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment
a transit fare increase that is sure to bring wails from the straphangers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
the state's residents are always wailing about their high taxes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to groan
to utter a moan
the patient lay in her bed, occasionally softly wailing in pain
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wail
Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 2 Apr. 2025
Late in the film, Erivo has one particularly unforgettable moment of raw, wrenching despair, her wail of grief cutting right through the screen.
—Sezin Koehler, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2025
Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 3 May 2025
As happy endings go, The Wedding Banquet’s feels almost too good to be true, though the wailing babies helpfully puncture the fantasy a bit.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wail
Noun
Rachelle Wolf woke up Wednesday morning to the faint wail of sirens in Nevada, Missouri, and called her husband to alert him.
—Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 2 Apr. 2025
Late in the film, Erivo has one particularly unforgettable moment of raw, wrenching despair, her wail of grief cutting right through the screen.
—Sezin Koehler, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
Within a week, a woman living on E. 130th St. reported hearing an infant wailing in an apartment occupied by a young widow, Carmela Marzano.
—Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 3 May 2025
As happy endings go, The Wedding Banquet’s feels almost too good to be true, though the wailing babies helpfully puncture the fantasy a bit.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wail
Noun
-
Surveillance footage from the home reviewed by investigators allegedly showed the foster mother punching the toddler in the head, yanking her by her hair so violently that the child's head struck floors and furniture, hitting her with a wooden spoon and covering her mouth to silence her cries.—
Christina Coulter,
People.com,
12 June 2025
-
Here, the actress recalls some of her favorite career memories, the part that got away, and the film that always makes her cry.—
Antonia Blyth,
Deadline,
11 June 2025
Noun
-
Roxy doesn't take her eyes from the screen, and when Aishah turns the camera to show what's happening in the movie, Roxy can be heard making a noise somewhere between a growl and a whine.—
Mohammed Soliman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Apr. 2025
-
Inside the fence, the atmosphere was oddly peaceful, and sometimes so quiet that the loudest noise was the whine of an overhead drone.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
6 May 2025
Verb
-
Patterson complained about her in-laws behind their backs Erin and Simon Patterson got married in 2007 and, after splitting and reconciling multiple times over the years, separated permanently in 2015.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
7 June 2025
-
Occasionally, drivers call the CHP to complain — especially during rush hour.—
Tina Li,
Sacbee.com,
7 June 2025
Verb
-
Wolves are extremely social animals that howl to communicate and bond with their packs, but these wolves are alone in the world.—
Marina Bolotnikova,
Vox,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Grok 3: The wind howled through the jagged spires of the Frostfang Reaches, carrying a chill that bit deeper than any blade, and Ser Willem Cray felt its teeth in his bones.—
Kelsey Piper,
Vox,
12 May 2025
Verb
-
The treetops groaned with wind created by the force of the megafire.—
Jordan Thomas
May 28,
Literary Hub,
28 May 2025
-
Serious bettors and the people who heard a tip from a friend alike were heavily invested in the day’s earlier races, watching intently on TVs above the wager window and cheering or groaning as horses made their way down the homestretch.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
4 May 2025
Noun
-
There's a push, and suddenly, a newborn's first cry replaces the mother's moans.—
Laura Gómez,
Scientific American,
26 Mar. 2025
-
The eyes start rolling and the moans come out when dudes get super gooned.—
Mikelle Street,
Them.,
6 May 2025
Noun
-
His greatest fear is losing his Michelin star – a cause for lament, mental health crises and, sometimes, murder.—
Tulasi Srinivas,
The Conversation,
3 June 2025
-
That is both the cautionary tale and the lament of Behind the Badge, Answering the Call to Serve on America’s Homefront by Johnny Joey Jones.—
Chris Dorsey,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Verb
-
Leonardo DiCaprio’s screaming to the top of his lungs.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
9 June 2025
-
Medvedev added, including an emoji of a screaming face.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wail. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.
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