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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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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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
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
On Choute’s lap rode her Siamese cat, Vergère, who wailed throughout the journey.
—Literary Hub, 6 May 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
The final syllables accelerate into a blur, whereupon a ritual of wailing erupts.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
On Choute’s lap rode her Siamese cat, Vergère, who wailed throughout the journey.
—Literary Hub, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wail
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
-
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
-
Still, the night had enough laughs, groans and tender moments to keep things interesting.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
Now, at the same time that his stepmother is drawing groans, however, Hunter is winning unexpected praise.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Lee's voice has always been Sui generis, a distinctive instrument caught between a whine and a yelp yet immediately recognizable.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
-
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
Verb
-
The move was met with outrage, with fans criticizing the singer for jumping the gun and complaining that the weather had cleared up before becoming too serious.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 June 2026
-
Leo is expected to meet survivors while in Spain, but several victims groups have complained that they have been left in the dark about when the meeting is taking place and whether they are invited.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
In an ideal world, progressives would have howled about how wrong that was, but progressives were the beneficiaries of Twitter’s malfeasance, so the company’s censorship was seen as acceptable, even desirable.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
10 June 2026
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With a pummelling rhythm and howling guitar, the new song from fata morgana makes a desperate race against the doom loop.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Musselwhite punctuated the music with his harmonica trills and moans while his right knee bounced in time with the rhythms.—
Kevin McKeough,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2026
-
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
Noun
-
Korda gasped, covered her mouth, waved to the crowd and wiped away tears.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
Just over an hour into opening statements into the vessel homicide and manslaughter trial of George Pino, who crashed his boat into a Biscayne Bay channel marker almost four years ago, killing a teenage girl, the Doral real estate broker broke down in tears.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
That was the signal for the crying and screaming to begin.—
Annie Ernaux,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Wail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wail. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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