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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Recent Examples of caterwaul
Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2023
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
An ambulance caterwauled down Sunset Boulevard, which runs parallel one block below.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Oct. 2022
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.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for caterwaul
Verb
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Later, the state spent $6 million to seal the brick building, after state workers complained of respiratory ailments and asthma.—
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Although older drivers are certainly more sensitive to nocturnal blasts of light, drivers in their 20s and 30s also complained about the overall brightness of some vehicles.—
Noun
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At the time, the two girls were seen as rivals, with Debbie’s theatrical voice vs. Tiffany’s countrified yowl.—
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Squeeze the throttle pedal firmly to the carpet and the engine room answers with more forward thrust, the 9-speed kicking down several gears nearly instantly, and the car rushing onward with accompaniment of a classic but subtle straight six yowl.—
Verb
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Hearing the Creature screaming his name, Victor turns back.—
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For all the talk about home-field advantage and the Bears needing their fans to scream 20 percent louder and be 30 percent drunker than usual, past precedent shows that won’t matter much.—
Noun
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This not-quite-title song, which is nearly eight minutes long, is a sort of mini-suite, opening with a dog barking, giving way to an acoustic-guitar melody accompanying polyphonic vocals, then becoming electric and crashingly alive, until the relentless screech of a guitar drags you to the end.—
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As the band blares, Georgia fans bark for the Dawgs and Alabama faithful screech Roll Tide.—
Verb
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Illinois Republicans have turned whining into an artform.—
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First came Notre Dame whining over missing out on a College Football Playoff invite.—
Noun
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United Methodist leadership with the bishop’s office preached to students, who welcomed the leaders with excited howls.—
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Frehley picks up on the drummer’s simmering syncopation hereand unleashes a banshee-like howl of a solo that still clings to the band’s rhythm.—
Verb
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Shannon moans right about the time Jenn walks out to see what the commotion is all about.—
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There’s something moaning in the background.—
Noun
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However, after 40 minutes, the pilot turned back to Birmingham after issuing the 7700 squawk emergency code over the French coast, Daily Express reported.—
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There are times when squawk is not used to communicate aircraft information, like during military operations.—
Cite this Entry
“Caterwaul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caterwaul. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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