1
as in to cry
to shed tears often while making meaningless sounds as a sign of pain or distress
he bawled for days after his dog died
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2
as in to yell
to speak so as to be heard at a distance
the mover was bawling for help as the refrigerator was about to slip out of his hands
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in shriek
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of bawl
Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2024
This is crazy, and the world’s gonna hate me, [just] bawling my eyes out.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2024
Washington Post, 21 July 2021
Distillers bury their faces in their hands and bawl after learning MLB’s winter meetings will go virtual.
—Nick Canepa Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Oct. 2020
See all Example Sentences for bawl 
Verb
Yet when the whistle sounded on the U.S. women’s soccer team’s 1-0 win over Brazil in last Saturday’s gold-medal game at the Paris Olympics, Swanson rushed to Naeher, wrapped both arms around her neck and began to bawl.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2024
This is crazy, and the world’s gonna hate me, [just] bawling my eyes out.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2024
Noun
That night, Faris saw a woman near her bawl and wide-eyed grown-ups run.
—Washington Post, 21 July 2021
Distillers bury their faces in their hands and bawl after learning MLB’s winter meetings will go virtual.
—Nick Canepa Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Oct. 2020
See all Example Sentences for bawl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bawl
Verb
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Critics cried nepotism and lamented Robert F. Kennedy’s lack of qualifications and prior experience.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
17 Jan. 2025
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The 11-year-old girl can be heard crying in the video.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Europe has long been working against any Darwinist instincts, spending the past several years trying to wedge its head inside the mouth of the lion while their own people yell at them to stop.—
Rachel Marsden,
Hartford Courant,
19 Jan. 2025
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Though there was no damage to either car, a crowd of at least 10 Turks soon gathered, yelling at Hiba.—
Alia Malek,
New York Times,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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As Hollis releases her son’s hand and backs into the kitchen, Richard shrieks at Pino.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
8 Jan. 2025
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The falsetto, the audience interaction and holy crap, that incredible shriek at the end.—
Charles Masson,
TVLine,
25 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Ferreira sobs hysterically, spouts horrific recounts of an abusive childhood, and slowly opens up, all in the span of a two-hour film.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
22 Jan. 2025
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This was sobbing, chest-heaving crying — very wet and loud.—
Dan Pompei,
The Athletic,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The hearing was briefly stopped several times by protesters with at least one shouting about the deadly fires in Los Angeles and the role fossil fuels play in global warming.—
Timothy Gardner,
USA TODAY,
16 Jan. 2025
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Authentic marketing isn’t about shouting the loudest but speaking the clearest.—
Carlo Tortora Brayda,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The ragged metallic roaring scream of a Boeing 727 ascending eastward, a high-pitched whine building to a thundering roar, fading to a drone.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
8 Jan. 2025
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When in use, the motor produced a slightly audible whistle/whine.—
John Timmer,
Ars Technica,
4 Apr. 2024
Verb
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Such are the spending restrictions under baseball’s international signing system, but weep not for Sasaki, who is certain to line up enough marketing and endorsement opportunities to live quite comfortably.—
Ken Rosenthal,
The Athletic,
17 Jan. 2025
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Ian starts to weep, burying his face in the dog’s fur while Rachel rubs her husband’s back in sympathy.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Are we meant to sympathize with this creature as people scream in terror and call it a monster and attack it and scream for it to be shot?—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
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Ahmad would scream in terror, afraid of something beyond his family’s perception.—
Alia Malek,
New York Times,
17 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near bawl
Cite this Entry
“Bawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bawl. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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