as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
like many kids during summer vacation, they were caterwauling about the lack of things to do
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as in yowl
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Recent Examples of caterwaul
Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2023
An ambulance caterwauled down Sunset Boulevard, which runs parallel one block below.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Oct. 2022
Until Ivey and the Department of Corrections can explain how the prison construction program caterwauled out of control, lawmakers should put the brakes on all state spending.
—Kyle Whitmire, al, 17 Mar. 2023
Republicans could caterwaul about the skyrocketing debt without actually having to do anything about it except express their disapproval. Getting most creative.
—Zachary B. Wolf, CNN, 29 Sep. 2021
In a season of a lively baseball, the Twins hit a silly number of home runs and came caterwauling out of the great north and took their division.
—Michael Powell, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2019
The media–Democrat caterwauling over Trump’s election-rigging spiel was not rooted in patriotic commitment to the American democratic tradition of accepting election outcomes.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 16 Aug. 2019
Media outlets that caterwaul about all this become the victims of commercial crises.
—The Economist, 21 June 2018
This lets Congress caterwaul on behalf of special interests while blaming Presidents for not punishing foreigners.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 7 June 2018
Verb
That said, Shelton’s lyrics are much more darkly relatable and heartbreaking than someone caterwauling about being their own worst enemy.
—Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2023
An ambulance caterwauled down Sunset Boulevard, which runs parallel one block below.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Oct. 2022
Until Ivey and the Department of Corrections can explain how the prison construction program caterwauled out of control, lawmakers should put the brakes on all state spending.
—Kyle Whitmire, al, 17 Mar. 2023
Republicans could caterwaul about the skyrocketing debt without actually having to do anything about it except express their disapproval. Getting most creative.
—Zachary B. Wolf, CNN, 29 Sep. 2021
In a season of a lively baseball, the Twins hit a silly number of home runs and came caterwauling out of the great north and took their division.
—Michael Powell, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2019
The media–Democrat caterwauling over Trump’s election-rigging spiel was not rooted in patriotic commitment to the American democratic tradition of accepting election outcomes.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 16 Aug. 2019
Media outlets that caterwaul about all this become the victims of commercial crises.
—The Economist, 21 June 2018
This lets Congress caterwaul on behalf of special interests while blaming Presidents for not punishing foreigners.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 7 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caterwaul
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
Noun
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As a shape-shifting rock poet — a prophet with a nasal yowl — Dylan and his opaque words were particularly attractive for theorists of the literary, musical and conspiratorial varieties.Corey Kilgannon, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
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The guitar riffs recall how Mastodon sounded circa Leviathan, paired with Blythe’s inimitable yowls.Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2024
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
Noun
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The jungle struck up its evening symphony: the sweet chittering of insects, the distant bellowing of monkeys, the occasional screech of a kite.Charlie Cordero, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
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But as the race against former President Trump screeches into its final week, joy has taken the back seat.David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Seems to be the only real way to get everybody to stop whining about the seeding.Stewart Mandel, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
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Rather than a bark or even a regular whining sound, Enzo has surprised social media users by showing off his unexpected squeaking noises.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Jasmine moans with pleasure as Gino traces her legs with his tongue.Abigail Adams, People.com, 22 Dec. 2024
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Many of the patients were critically ill and moaning in pain from broken bones, head gashes and other injuries blamed on Tropical Storm Helene.Beth Warren, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
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There’s no dialogue, at least none decipherable to human ears — everything is a symphony of meows, woofs, squawks, grunts, squeaks, squeals and simian cries.David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024
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Flocks of sparrows and parrots chirp and squawk in the palms overhead.Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 9 June 2024
Noun
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Collecting data and recordings of leopard roars has proven difficult in the past, according to the study, making the study of their vocalizations and communication challenging.Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2025
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In one strip, the kids act out the horrible roar of an atomic bomb, and Snoopy has frequent aerial battles with the Red Baron.Alice George, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near caterwaul
Cite this Entry
“Caterwaul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caterwaul. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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