yowl 1 of 2

noun

Definition of yowlnext
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 How to pronounce yowl (audio)
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
  1. howl
  2. complain
  3. shout
  4. scream
  5. cry
  6. whine
  7. shriek
  8. moan
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
Verb
  • That March, a seventy-year-old patient from a wealthy Cypriot family, Evie Lanitis, arrived at BioMed, complaining of a host of minor maladies, including bursitis in her toes, dental pain, and digestive issues.
    — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In the days before the spill was announced, residents complained of fuel-like odors pervading areas of Dubai and north.
    — Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of complain
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
Verb
  • A little girl pounding her fists and screaming; none of the visitors nor the staff were allowed to hold her to provide comfort.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Rays third baseman Junior Caminero screamed in the dugout after Milwaukee had rallied to tie the game.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of scream
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
  • Unlike last year when Texas coach Steve Sarkisian whined about his non-conference schedule, his main complaint this year will be his conference schedule.
    — Mac Engel October 25, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2026
  • 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
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

Browse Nearby Words

youths
yowl
yowled
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Cite this Entry

“Yowl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yowl. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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