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

The clip opens on a dark and spooky night, complete with a full moon, howling wolves and a steady rain falling on a haunted mansion. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 1 Nov. 2024

People's hearts broke hearing the dog howling for his owners. —Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024

More than 1 million people visit the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden each year to see the hippos bob in and out of clear water, hear gibbons howl above the treetops, smell the elephants covered in dirt. —Bebe Hodges, The Enquirer, 27 Oct. 2024

But the abundant desert beauty, such as seeing shooting stars streaking over their home nearly every night, hearing coyotes howl and watching hawks swerve overhead, make up for it. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 18 Oct. 2024

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