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
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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
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3
as in whine
an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment
a transit fare increase that is sure to bring wails from the straphangers
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1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
the state's residents are always wailing about their high taxes
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2
3
as in to groan
to utter a moan
the patient lay in her bed, occasionally softly wailing in pain
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of wail
Alex Ross, People.com, 26 Nov. 2024
In the middle of her speech, a siren-like wail cut through the air, startling the audience.
—Deborah Danan, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2024
Esther Kang, People.com, 26 Dec. 2024
Bodies are carried from the building, as men are heard wailing in mourning.
—Victoria Beaule, ABC News, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wail 
Noun
Children's wails filled the air, until, one by one, their deafening silence grew much louder.
—Alex Ross, People.com, 26 Nov. 2024
In the middle of her speech, a siren-like wail cut through the air, startling the audience.
—Deborah Danan, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2024
Verb
In rage and disbelief, Gi-hun mourned the death of his friend and wailed with grief as masked soldiers apprehended him.
—Esther Kang, People.com, 26 Dec. 2024
Bodies are carried from the building, as men are heard wailing in mourning.
—Victoria Beaule, ABC News, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wail
Noun
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The sailors’ splashes and cries, along with the debris from the sinking ship, likely signaled to the sharks that an easy feast was at hand.Scott Travers, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025
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But the heartbreaking cries continued as the video showed him in another part of the home.Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
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When in use, the motor produced a slightly audible whistle/whine.John Timmer, Ars Technica, 4 Apr. 2024
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Fittingly, its most art-averse detractors responded with an awful lot of whine.Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Many residents at the town hall complained about feeling unsafe at their local Giant or Weis supermarkets, seeing panhandlers, loitering and graffiti in and around these areas.Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 16 Jan. 2025
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Some of the agency’s top Middle East diplomats complained in private that they were sidelined by Biden’s National Security Council.Brett Murphy, ProPublica, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Seacrest encouraged him to bay back, setting Sawyer up for a howling good time.Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 9 Jan. 2025
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Hurst fire becomes visible With officials already scrambling to handle two major fires, a third blaze erupted near Sylmar as winds howled.Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The most delightful moments of the entire endeavor come in the premiere, directed by Robert Alexander, as established SNL alums watch their own auditions, tearing up (Heidi Gardner) or groaning (Bowen Yang) or adamantly refusing to participate before gamely consenting to a minute or two (Poehler).Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2025
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Jessie Mazar squeezed the grab handle in her husband’s pickup and groaned as contractions struck her during the 90-minute drive from her home in rural northeastern California to the closest hospital with a maternity unit.Ronnie Cohen, Sacramento Bee, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The ultimate effect is paradoxical: the more that Valéry eliminates the ghost of pain and passion from the logical machinery of his work, the starker and more affecting the moans and cries of the ghost become.Benjamin Kunkel, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
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Against Notre Dame, the collective moan in the Coliseum with yet another last-minute loss because of Riley’s poor play calling was the breaking point for this lifelong Trojan.Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024
Noun
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This is a weaker attempt to crossbreed the classic Universal monsters with contemporary anxieties: a post-pandemic lockdown lament about the impossibility of protecting children from fear.Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2025
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Much to the lament of American enthusiasts, Mercedes ceased production of the E 63 S wagon last year, which has helped to keep values high.Christian Gilbertsen, Robb Report, 8 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
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Cite this Entry
“Wail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wail. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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