wailing 1 of 2

wailing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of wail
1
2
as in howling
to make a long loud mournful sound the women stood beside the coffins, wailing for their fallen sons and daughters

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wailing
Adjective
  • And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.
    David Mamet, National Review, 11 Aug. 2022
  • The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.
    Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021
Verb
  • The name Wolf Moon comes from the sound of wolves howling during this season, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.
    Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 27 Dec. 2024
  • This includes destructive behavior such as chewing and destroying furniture as well as things like howling and barking.
    Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Angelo Badalamenti’s mournful, string-laden score draws us in, emphasizing the quaintness of the visuals, while also suggesting a deeper pain at the core of this place.
    Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 19 Jan. 2025
  • The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) shared a sorrowful story across their social media feeds about a mournful looking cat.
    TJ Macias, Miami Herald, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The Buccaneers started complaining to the officials about fouls.
    CJ Moore, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
  • That first-round pick became Merriman (although, the Giants aren't complaining).
    Ryan Morik, Fox News, 8 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The funeral procession that climaxes Emilia Pérez is the damnedest, craziest thing since Nancy Pelosi and her Democratic minions draped kente cloth stoles over their shoulders and kneeled to canonize George Floyd at the Capitol.
    Armond White, National Review, 29 Jan. 2025
  • On Thursday, dozens of people took part in funeral prayers outside Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central Gaza city of Deir al Balah for people killed in Israeli strikes the day before.
    Wafaa Shurafa and Fatma Khaled, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The whining about everyone else didn’t help, either.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2024
  • Stop whining and thank your lucky stars for having a job.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • When Tai Shan was sent to China and separated from his parents, Nguyen was heartbroken.
    Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Andrews appeared heartbroken after the loss, and video showed Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson consoling him.
    Doha Madani, NBC News, 23 Jan. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near wailing

Cite this Entry

“Wailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wailing. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

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