howl

verb

ˈhau̇(-ə)l 

howled; howling; howls

intransitive verb

1

: to emit a loud sustained doleful sound characteristic of members of the dog family

2

: to cry out loudly and without restraint under strong impulse (such as pain, grief, or amusement)

3

: to go on a spree or rampage

transitive verb

1

: to utter with unrestrained outcry

2

: to drown out or cause to fail by adverse outcry

—used especially with down

howl noun

Synonyms

• bay
• keen
• ululate
• wail
• yowl

Examples of howl in a Sentence

The dogs were howling at the moon.

several coyotes began howling close by as the sun went down

Recent Examples on the Web

Seacrest encouraged him to bay back, setting Sawyer up for a howling good time. —Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 9 Jan. 2025

And gunning mallards in a howling snowstorm is an all-time iconic duck hunting experience. —Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 8 Jan. 2025

The wind howling across the lochs is a sort of call to prayer. —Peter Ross, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025

As the winds howled, more embers took flight, sparking new fires in dry, brittle brushlands that hadn’t seen significant rain in over eight months. —Hannah Singleton, WIRED, 8 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English houlen; akin to Middle High German hiulen to howl

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing howl

• howl with laughter

Kids Definition

howl

verb

ˈhau̇(ə)l 

1

: to make a long loud mournful sound like that of a dog

2

: to cry out loudly (as with pain, grief, or amusement)

howled in protest

howling with laughter

3

: to drown out or cause to fail by an outcry

howled down the opposition

howl noun