as in howl
a loud vocal expression of strong emotion
the cat gave a yowl of anger
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
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
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
Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 22 July 2024
The Two Towers Gollum’s introduction Video: New Line Cinema
Gollum is such a little brat, but his first keening yowl is also pathetic, pitiful, and unforgettable.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2024
Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2024
When injured or in pain, bobcats squall, creating a sharp sort of yowling sound.
—The Arizona Republic, 25 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for yowl
Noun
The cat sometimes unleashed a penetrating yowl that reminded Ducrot of her husband’s final days.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 22 July 2024
The Two Towers Gollum’s introduction Video: New Line Cinema
Gollum is such a little brat, but his first keening yowl is also pathetic, pitiful, and unforgettable.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2024
Verb
The music video for the song weaves together footage from each of the sessions: Slash with his bandmates cutting the song live, Johnson getting into the groove, and Tyler yowling between harp bursts.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2024
When injured or in pain, bobcats squall, creating a sharp sort of yowling sound.
—The Arizona Republic, 25 Jan. 2024
See All Example Sentences for yowl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yowl
Verb
-
Cannon complained to Delta and to the Department of Transportation, which regulates airlines.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
17 May 2025
-
Company officials also complained that the administration of former Mayor Lori Lightfoot slowed down financing approval, a charge Lightfoot vehemently denies.—
Brian J. Rogal,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2025
Verb
-
To make sense of what wolf howls mean for an ecosystem, The Colossal Foundation (the non-profit arm of Colossal Biosciences, which recently made headlines for its dire wolf de-extinction project) has announced a partnership with non-profit Yellowstone Forever and the Yellowstone Wolf Project.—
Jack Knudson,
Discover Magazine,
8 May 2025
-
For what feels like hours on end to the viewer, Sam howls in pain as his teammates drag him to safety.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
7 May 2025
Noun
-
William Nylander also deserves a shout here for his constantly creative play in Game 4.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2025
-
But we’re allowed to want more than a cheeky shout out.—
Ana Osorno,
Them.,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
People could be heard screaming and crying in the video, which appeared to show several people injured on the ground and baggage strewn about, as first responders attended to the scene.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
4 May 2025
-
Her lawyers and family members also celebrated by screaming and hugging each other, per a video from the courtroom.—
Caroline Blair,
People.com,
3 May 2025
Noun
-
The last flareup in the early 2010s involved a string of self-immolation incidents that critics called a desperate cry against the Chinese government’s ever-tightening grip on Tibetan society.—
Steven Jiang,
CNN Money,
1 May 2025
-
Little of that matters to those anti-NFL folks on TikTok and to others resurrecting the bygone cries of league protesters over the Kaepernick situation.—
Terence Moore,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Any dog breed can exhibit signs of jealousy, which may include getting in between their owner and another pet, whining, barking, or growling when their owner pays another pet or person attention.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 May 2025
-
Construction equipment whines as workers erect towering bleachers in a downtown park.—
Stephanie Yang,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The rag-doll physics of enemies coupled with their heinous death shrieks made battles more humorous than haunting.—
Jamal Michel,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
-
The little shriek Hardy lets out when Venom headbutts him in the face?—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
But the Francophone descriptor fails to conjure the dust her voice kicks up, the grit and moan that hang in the air after each song.—
Carrie Brownstein,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2025
-
Having been browbeaten by the negativity of previous coaches Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, having a manager who didn't dismiss the idea the team could be title challengers or moan about a lack of talent was refreshing.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Yowl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yowl. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share