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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1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
the state's residents are always wailing about their high taxes
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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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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of wail
Byron Hurd, The Drive, 29 Apr. 2026
Mitchell has made the point before that every new technology brings wails that the fish won’t survive.
—Mike McFeely, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026
Kansas City Star, 25 Apr. 2026
Others wailed and screamed, raising their arms in the air.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wail
Noun
The resulting wail is certainly not kitten-like, sounding more like a cross between a sport bike and a completely uncorked race car.
—Byron Hurd, The Drive, 29 Apr. 2026
Mitchell has made the point before that every new technology brings wails that the fish won’t survive.
—Mike McFeely, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
Belton experiences As sirens wailed the night of the tornado, Bill Anderson hunkered down in his basement a mile and a half away from the cemetery, Anderson told The Star by text.
—Kansas City Star, 25 Apr. 2026
Others wailed and screamed, raising their arms in the air.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wail
Noun
-
Then, the cries of Ginny’s baby are a major wake-up call for the couple that can’t be ignored.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
28 May 2026
-
And so when the girls of U-46 break a huddle, forgive the limitation of their rallying cry.—
Andrew Carter,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
Her remarks were met with groans, loud exhaling and other audible exasperation from a court gallery filled with victims and their families.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
-
The crowd responded with groans after the move, which did damage to both men.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
The guilt of a stack of unread books is a low constant whine at the back of your head.—
Philip Maymin,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
-
Both motors stay at or below 45 dBA even at full power, something that will genuinely surprise anyone used to the whine of current-generation motors.—
Omar Kardoudi
April 10,
New Atlas,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, a parent of an underage Vibe customer also complained to authorities that his 17-year-old son and his son's friend were able to purchase kratom products with a fake ID and, at times, without an ID at all.—
Logan Smith,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
-
Residents near the Plaskolite site have long complained about odors from the plant, according to an air monitoring study sponsored by the state.—
Jason Henry,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
There’s no better time to swap scary stories than when the wind is howling and candles are flickering.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
-
Some may howl at my ideas, and that’s fine, too.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
And yes, that sound will dissipate and soon will be too faint for my human ears as it is absorbed into space, but Renee Gladman writes that spaces moan.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
The process left Carruthers bleeding and moaning on May 21, according to the witness, Maria DeLiberato, senior counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union's Capital Punishment Project.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
The Bruins’ bat boy’s tears stained the front of Cholowsky’s jersey as his sobs grew heavier by the second.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
-
The 22-year-old Wembanyama was emotional, bursting into tears as the final horn blew and again choking back emotions after being named the Most Valuable Player of the WCF.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
The grieving in the sense of mourning and crying and all that might stop, but the pain is going to be there.—
Roxana Popescu,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
-
At the same time, severe OCD, intrusive thoughts and uncontrollable crying spells took a major toll on Cust’s mental health.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wail. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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