wail 1 of 2

noun

Definition of wailnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wail

2 of 2

verb

ˈwāl How to pronounce wail (audio)
1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely the state's residents are always wailing about their high taxes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to howl
to make a long loud mournful sound the women stood beside the coffins, wailing for their fallen sons and daughters

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to groan
to utter a moan the patient lay in her bed, occasionally softly wailing in pain

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 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 After a second of consideration, Naim slams the grate shut to the monster’s wails, and the audience’s relief. — Arushi Jacob, Variety, 19 June 2026
Verb
Others complained their ears still rang from how hard their children wailed for AC, a plea the women denied them in the interest of saving on utility bills. — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 30 June 2026 Night is falling in Altadena as bats circle, peacocks wail and photographer Kevin Cooley tries to capture what’s left of a tree. — Marah Eakin, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for wail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wail
  1. cry
  2. groan
  3. whine
  4. complain
  5. howl
  6. moan
  7. tears
  8. crying
Noun
  • He is accused of pressing a screw from the high chair into her leg to make her cry, police told PEOPLE.
    — Adam England, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026
  • As the bodies were returned to their families, cries echoed through the neighborhood.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 July 2026
Definition of cry
Noun
  • When his attempt to force a second playoff hole rolled just left, the hundreds who gathered around the green were stunned, letting out a collective groan of disbelief.
    — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2026
  • Out comes a guttural groan, her exertion a tight whip cracking open a black hole of pain.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 June 2026
Definition of groan
Noun
  • That is, until you are subjected to the relentless whine of mosquitoes.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 June 2026
  • Test recordings sounded clear and full, and the noise cancellation completely blocked out the buzz and whine of my 3D printer.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 14 June 2026
Definition of whine
Verb
  • Also requested were documents related to a lawsuit, recently settled for $135,000, claiming Kramer had given an improper assessment of a property and retaliated against an employee who complained.
    — Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 7 July 2026
  • Gal and Amora barely know each other, and Jaiden and Caleb have been complaining about one another for the past three days.
    — Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 6 July 2026
Definition of complain
Verb
  • Muharemović hit the pitch, howling in pain, and was treated on the field.
    — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • Gary ad-libbed to the sound of howling winds and ominous metal scraping.
    — Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 21 June 2026
Definition of howl
Verb
  • The call lasted for 12 excruciating minutes, as Adams moaned in pain.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 22 June 2026
  • Witnesses who observed those executions later shared unnerving, and, at times, horrific, accounts of inmates thrashing, moaning, or otherwise appearing to show signs of suffering after the nitrogen gas began to flow.
    — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 11 June 2026
Definition of moan
Noun
  • Some waving flags, others wiping away tears, thousands have gathered in Tehran for the funeral of Iran’s former supreme leader.
    — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • In rare cases, extreme pressure can cause tears in the esophagus.
    — Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Definition of tears
Noun
  • After Messi and his team's loss to Saudi Arabia in November 2022, the athlete told reporters, per The Mirror, that Mateo left the stadium crying.
    — Karli Bendlin, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026
  • This is not the kid-crying, shoulder-to-shoulder type of resort; outside of newer guests, there are families who have been coming here for years and understand the groove of it all, from toddlers to teenagers.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 June 2026
Definition of crying

Phrases Containing wail

Browse Nearby Words

waifs
wail
wailed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wail. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on wail

Nglish: Translation of wail for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All