1
as in cry
a crying out in grief
a prolonged wail arose from every corner of the city as the victims of the earthquake were unearthed from the rubble
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2
as in groan
a long low sound indicating pain or grief
rescuers heard a faint wail coming from the pile of rubble, a sure sign that one of the victims was still alive
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3
as in whine
an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment
a transit fare increase that is sure to bring wails from the straphangers
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1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
the state's residents are always wailing about their high taxes
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2
3
as in to groan
to utter a moan
the patient lay in her bed, occasionally softly wailing in pain
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of wail
Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Yet beneath this veneer, the wail of sirens, the hurried stamp of feet into basements and the slam of shelter doors have become just as familiar.
—Sonal Nain, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
Paredones laid down thumping cumbia bass lines as Adolfo Mercado, often compared to Animal of The Muppets, wailed on the drums.
—Ivan Kashinsky, NPR, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wail
Noun
The electric version starts the same, but that plaintive wail sounds more like a call to mischief.
—Verb
Snake Mom in the Sky, hand me a grimoire that will replace the urge to wail.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for wail
Noun
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Property Insurance If property taxes are the House GOP’s flagship affordability issue, property insurance has become the Democrats’ rallying cry.—
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Demonstrations have included cries in support of the shah, something that could bring a death sentence in the past but now underlines the anger fueling the protests that began over Iran’s ailing economy.—
Noun
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The names of full-game starting quarterbacks since Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly’s retirement after the 1996 season are voluminous and, at times, groan-inducing.—
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Cohen said, drawing another groan from Cooper.—
Noun
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These are no longer the days of whine and turned-up noses.—
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Deciphering the vocalizations involves both sound and context, as a dog’s bark or whine may be tied to its situation, Zhu said.—
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.—
Verb
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Even those who lingered an hour or so after the Bulls’ 125-107 win over the Dallas Mavericks howled for the other game.—
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Somewhere in the distance, animals skitter and howl, unseen but heard.—
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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Christopher Patterson's mother held back tears as his family and friends gathered on Friday outside the home where the 23-year-old lost his life two days before.—
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Narrated by Colm Feore and James Hyndman in the English and French versions of the movie, respectively, the 17-minute stop-motion short follows a poor young boy who discovers a girl whose tears, evoked by a sad home life, turn into pristine pearls.—
Noun
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No more crying tots – or well-meaning helper elves – tugging on their long white beards and hemlines.—
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Navarro scoffed that her crying was rehearsed.—
Cite this Entry
“Wail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wail. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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