YOWL Synonyms: 91 Similar and Opposite Words

yowl 1 of 2

noun

Definition of yowl

as in howl

a loud vocal expression of strong emotion the cat gave a yowl of anger

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

yowl

2 of 2

verb

ˈyau̇(-ə)l

as in to complain

to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely a bitterly cold winter that had people yowling about their heating bills

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to howl

to make a long loud mournful sound coyotes yowling at the moon

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 yowl

Noun

Squeeze the throttle pedal firmly to the carpet and the engine room answers with more forward thrust, the 9-speed kicking down several gears nearly instantly, and the car rushing onward with accompaniment of a classic but subtle straight six yowl. — Mark Ewing, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2025 Liam sang most of the songs in his reedy yowl, all charisma with his hands pulled behind his back, head tilted up toward the sky and a parka often inexplicably zipped all the way up to his chin. — Paula Mejía, Vulture, 5 July 2025

Verb

Whatever Laura’s up to involves circles and water and whatever’s gone wrong with Oliver — and, quite possibly, her pet dog (dead and stuffed) and cat (alive and yowling through the movie). — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025 In the clip, Mees opens the door for the yowling Crush, who quickly paws inside and jumps up on a side table next to Cora's crib. — Kelli Bender, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for yowl

Recent Examples of Synonyms for yowl

Noun

When the sun goes down, the wind picks up in central New Mexico, whipping through arid canyons with a ghostly howl that for centuries, locals have likened to the wails of the folkloric ghost La Llorona.

— Sara Herschander, Vox, 22 Oct. 2026
The second slide was a video (without sound) of the couple’s first kiss, which King prefaced with what looked like a howl of joy, followed by a series of passionate kisses and an arms-in-the-air yelp from the groom.

— Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of howl

Noun

The shouts of rejection came in part because there was a plausible scenario under which James would have opened the season at Madison Square Garden in a Knicks uniform.

— CBS News, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
No day in Gaza is normal, but Friday stood out for its shouts of delight as athletes pulled trucks, flipped massive tires and heaved weights in a strength competition that drew cheering crowds.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of shout

Noun

As much an acknowledgment of survival as a rallying cry, the song draws out sadness as well as satisfaction from the audience.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of cry

Verb

This contract then frees me, within the pages of the notebook, to do anything—to write or draw, or paint, to whine and complain, to plot and scheme—to fail or succeed without fear.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
While the left spent all week whining about Sophie Cunningham's hat and firing squad best practices, us PATRIOTS were biding our time, keeping our heads down, and grinding towards another weekend.

— Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of whine

Noun

The eye chart reads like a shriek, and the teddy bear has extra limbs.

— John Wilkerson, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026
From 2007 through 2024, a similar shriek, from another eagle, could pull the attention of 20,000 men, women and children from the hot dogs in their laps and the game programs in their hands to the skies above.

— Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of shriek

Verb

It's been a big few months for Austin Abrams moaning and groaning his way through some of the worst situations imaginable.

— Megan McCluskey, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
For a cold moment the silence locked a grip on our table, though it was broken, at the edges, by the golf commentators moaning and harrumphing, Rory McIlroy having had a canary on a seventeenth fairway somewhere this championship Sunday.

— Kevin Barry, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of moan

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youths

yowl

yowled

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“Yowl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yowl. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of yowl

noun

verb

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