Wordfinder

Wail definition

wāl
wailed wailing wails
See word origin
Frequency:
To make a long, loud, high-pitched cry, as in grief, sorrow, or fear.
verb
9
2
To lament over; bewail.
verb
9
2
To make a prolonged, high-pitched sound suggestive of a cry.

The wind wailed through the trees.

verb
7
2
A loud, bitter protest.

A wail of misery went up when new parking restrictions were announced.

noun
4
1
To express grief or pain by long, loud cries.
verb
3
1
Advertisement
A long, loud, high-pitched sound.

The wail of a siren.

noun
3
2
A long, loud, high-pitched cry, as of grief or pain.
noun
2
1
To make a plaintive, sad, crying sound.

The wind wailing in the trees.

verb
2
1
A sound like this.
noun
1
0
(slang, jazz) To play in an intense or inspired manner.
verb
1
1
Advertisement
To lament; mourn.

To wail someone's death.

verb
1
1
To cry out in mourning or lamentation.
verb
1
1
A long, pitiful cry of grief and pain.
noun
1
1
The act of wailing.
noun
1
1
To wail is defined as to cry to express intense sadness.

An example of to wail is to sob loudly at a funeral.

verb
0
0
Advertisement
Wail is slang for to play very well on an instrument.

An example of to wail is to play an amazing piano solo in a jazz performance.

verb
0
0
The definition of a wail is a long cry.

An example of a wail is a cry by a very upset baby.

noun
0
0
A prolonged cry, usually high-pitched, especially as of grief or anguish.

She let out a loud, doleful wail.

noun
0
0
Any similar sound as of lamentation; a howl.

The wail of snow-dark winter winds.

A bird's wail in the night.

noun
0
0
A sound made by emergency vehicle sirens, contrasted with "yelp" which is higher-pitched and faster.
noun
0
0
Advertisement
(intransitive) To cry out, as in sorrow or anguish.
verb
0
0
(intransitive) To weep, lament persistently or bitterly.
verb
0
0
(intransitive) To make a noise like mourning or crying.

The wind wailed and the rain streamed down.

verb
0
0
To lament; to bewail; to grieve over.

To wail one's death.

verb
0
0
(slang, music) To perform with great liveliness and force.
verb
0
0
Advertisement
(obsolete) To choose; to select.
verb
0
0
Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster's Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
verb
0
0

Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
wail
Plural:
wails

Origin of wail

  • Middle English wailen probably of Scandinavian origin Old Norse vāla, vǣla

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Compare Icelandic word for "choice".

    From Wiktionary

  • Probably from Old Norse væla

    From Wiktionary

Wail Sentence Examples

  • Prince Andrew ran to the door; the scream ceased and he heard the wail of an infant.

  • Jenn covered her ears against the high-pitched wail of magic.

  • The other issue manifested in a loud wail from Destiny's room.

  • Julian afterwards sent Oribasius to restore the temple; but the oracle responded to the emperor's enthusiasm with nothing but a wail over the glory that had departed.

  • Her mouth was open in a silent wail, but the next one would wake Carmen.

More sentences

Related articles

Also Mentioned In

Words near wail in the Dictionary