wailed

past tense of wail
1
2
as in howled
to make a long loud mournful sound the women stood beside the coffins, wailing for their fallen sons and daughters

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

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 wailed Once again, the Kiss Army wailed about the move, but the song just missed the pop Top 10 as the LP topped the million-unit mark. Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025 Paredones laid down thumping cumbia bass lines as Adolfo Mercado, often compared to Animal of The Muppets, wailed on the drums. Ivan Kashinsky, NPR, 8 Oct. 2025 As the siren wailed before kickoff on the rainy night the stadium scoreboards flashed HURRICANE WARNING. Miami Herald, 1 Sep. 2025 Probably no one has wailed this role with quite the gusto that Lambert wails it, though many have tried. Chris Willman, Variety, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wailed
Verb
  • Rookies fell out with their bosses all the time, who, in turn, complained about the impossibility of getting good help these days.
    Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Trump has often complained that Japan doesn’t buy American vehicles, which are often too wide to be practical on narrow Japanese streets.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Women in the front row of his shows now howled for D’Angelo to disrobe.
    Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2025
  • The wind howled, rattling metal signs and tugging at our clothes as the dust swallowed everything in sight.
    Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • From the other room, the victim moaned.
    Stephanie Kuzydym, The Courier-Journal, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Yankees fans have moaned and groaned about Aaron Boone’s deployment of Williams in crucial situations this season, and it’s only exacerbated now that every game counts in the postseason race.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Across America, Halloween spending is expected to reach record levels this year, including large crowds waiting for their chance to be chased, startled and screamed at.
    Isabel Rosales, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Sundae screamed, and the whole motel heard her.
    Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • As the audience groaned, Ripa quickly defended herself, claiming her husband was not only wrong about what happened, but also was putting his anger in the wrong place.
    Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Sections of the home crowd groaned, but this was what Emery wanted.
    Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Marta’s brothers sobbed with the desperation of years, with childish anguish.
    Mariana Enriquez October 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
  • At one point during the celebrations, Bronze sat on the pitch, put her hand over her mouth and sobbed.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But the other 3%, often muttered by students prospectively examining transfer applications, is distinct.
    Noah White, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Although full disclosure, those two words were muttered in the press box Sunday after Nix had thrown two unsightly picks through the first three quarters of the Broncos’ win over Tennessee.
    Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • My children cried themselves to sleep.
    Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Across the room, Owens’ family cried with emotion.
    Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wailed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wailed. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.

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