wail

1 of 2

verb

ˈwāl 

wailed; wailing; wails

intransitive verb

1

: to express sorrow audibly : lament

2

: to make a sound suggestive of a mournful cry

3

: to express dissatisfaction plaintively : complain

transitive verb

1

: to say or express plaintively

wailed that her cake was ruined

2

archaic : bewail

wailer

ˈwā-lər 

noun

wail

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a usually prolonged cry or sound expressing grief or pain

b

: a sound suggestive of wailing

the wail of an air-raid siren

c

: a querulous expression of grievance : complaint

2

: the act or practice of wailing : loud lamentation

Synonyms

Verb

• beef
• bellyache
• bitch
• bleat
• carp
• caterwaul
• complain
• crab
• croak
• fuss
• gripe
• grizzle
• grouch
• grouse
• growl
• grumble
• grump
• holler
• inveigh
• keen
• kick
• kvetch
• maunder [chiefly British]
• moan
• murmur
• mutter
• nag
• repine
• scream
• squawk
• squeal
• whimper
• whine
• whinge [British]
• yammer
• yawp
• yaup
• yowl

Noun

• groan
• howl
• keen
• lament
• lamentation
• moan
• plaint

Examples of wail in a Sentence

Verb

The child started wailing after she stumbled and fell.

A saxophone wailed in the background.

“No! I don't want to go!” he wailed.

She wailed that the vacation was ruined.

Noun

the wail of a siren

a prolonged wail arose from every corner of the city as the victims of the earthquake were unearthed from the rubble

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Families wept and wailed as officials read off the names of the victims who died on Sunday, Dec. 29 at Muan International Airport, where the crash occurred, according to CNN and NBC News. —Abigail Adams, People.com, 30 Dec. 2024

Animals screeched and sirens wailed over a gabber beat as the first model took to the runway in a mohawk made of feathers (hair by Sonny Molina). —Fiona Alison Duncan, ARTnews.com, 30 Dec. 2024

Noun

Simpson's gruff, outlaw country timbre ranged from wails to whispers, adapting to echo the style of the band and the current tune. —Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 26 Oct. 2024

Cue more sofa wails and pitying looks at family gatherings when relatives ask you about your love life. —Olivia Petter, Vogue, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English weilen, waylen, perhaps modification (influenced by Middle English weilawei wellaway) of Old Norse væla, vāla to wail; akin to Old Norse vei woe — more at woe

First Known Use

Verb

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

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

wail

1 of 2 verb

ˈwā(ə)l 

1

: to express sorrow by mournful cries : lament

2

: to make a sound like a mournful cry

3

: to express dissatisfaction : complain

wailer

ˈwā-lər 

noun

wail

2 of 2 noun

1

: a long cry or sound of grief or pain

2

: a sound like a wail

the wail of a siren