howl
verb
\ ˈhau̇(-ə)l
\
\
howled;
howling;
howls
Definition of howl
1
: to emit a loud sustained doleful sound characteristic of members of the dog family
2
: to cry out loudly and without restraint under strong impulse (such as pain, grief, or amusement)
3
: to go on a spree or rampage
1
: to utter with unrestrained outcry
2
: to drown out or cause to fail by adverse outcry
—used especially with down
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Examples of howl in a Sentence
The dogs were howling at the moon.
several coyotes began howling close by as the sun went down
Recent Examples on the Web
The storm’s winds rose to a howling 130 mph (215 kph) as Dorian gained new strength while crossing warm Atlantic waters. — Washington Post, "Dorian becomes a Category 4 monster powering toward Florida," 31 Aug. 2019 As the rain fell and the wind howled and so many of the world’s best players faltered, Shane Lowry held his nerve. — Daniel Rapaport, SI.com, "Shane Lowry Wins Open Championship for First Career Major," 21 July 2019 Roberta’s supper clubs transform into unbridled bacchanals, naked women gorging and purging, their howling bodies expanding with fat and joy. — Barbara Vandenburgh, USA TODAY, "Lara Williams' 'Supper Club' is gluttonous, messy, nasty and loud — and unapologetic," 11 July 2019 Some stubbornly refused to restructure, even as headwinds howled. — The Economist, "Deutsche Bank’s retreat ends European hopes of conquering Wall Street," 11 July 2019 In the next episode, which is about mountains, we are set down beside a howling snow leopard high on a Himalayan ridge. — Sebastian Smee, chicagotribune.com, "Are nature documentaries the greatest art of our time?," 11 July 2019 In the next episode, which is about mountains, we are set down beside a howling snow leopard high on a Himalayan ridge. — Author: Sebastian Smee, Anchorage Daily News, "Are nature documentaries the greatest art of our time?," 10 July 2019 When Megan Rapinoe scored the first goal of the match for the U.S. in the 61st minute on a penalty kick, the crowd of a couple of thousand fans howled. — Parth Upadhyaya, The Denver Post, "“Everybody wins today”: Fans celebrate exciting FIFA Women’s World Cup final at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park," 7 July 2019 Sofa comedy is in a different category than howling along with Dodgeball or Talladega Nights on the big screen. — Kyle Smith, National Review, "Hollywood’s Comedy Crisis," 25 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'howl.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for howl
howl
verb
English Language Learners Definition of howl
of a dog, wolf, etc.
: to make a long, loud cry that sounds sad
of the wind
: to make a long, loud sound
: to cry out loudly in pain, anger, amusement, etc.
See the full definition for howl in the English Language Learners Dictionary
howl
verb
\ ˈhau̇l
\
\
howled;
howling
Kids Definition of howl
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: to make a loud long mournful cry or sound
Wolves howled at the moon. Wind was howling through the trees.
2
: to cry out loudly (as with pain or amusement)
The audience howled with laughter.
howl
nounKids Definition of howl (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: a loud long mournful sound made by dogs and related animals (as wolves)
2
: a long loud cry (as of distress, disappointment, or rage)
A howl … of dismay went up from the creatures …— C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
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