bawl

Meanings

1. 1verbintransitive

   To cry or weep very loudly and without holding back.

   Grammar: No object; often followed by prepositions like 'over' or 'with': bawl over the news.

   Patterns

   • bawl loudly
   • bawl over something
   • bawl with grief

   The toddler bawled when her balloon floated away.

   He bawled with relief when he heard the news.

2. 2verbtransitive or intransitive

   To shout or say something at the top of one's voice.

   Grammar: Can take an object (bawl an order) or stand alone (bawl across the field).

   Patterns

   • bawl an order
   • bawl at someone
   • bawl across the room

   The coach bawled instructions from the sideline.

   She bawled his name across the crowded hall.

3. 3verbphrasal verbinformal

   To scold someone angrily and at length, as in the phrase 'bawl out.'

   Grammar: Fixed phrase 'bawl someone out'; the object goes between bawl and out.

   Patterns

   • bawl someone out
   • get bawled out

   The manager bawled him out for missing the deadline.

   She got bawled out for leaving the freezer door open.

Word forms

Common combinations

bawl like a baby

He wasn't hurt, but he bawled like a baby.

bawl someone out

My dad bawled me out for denting the car.

bawl at the top of your lungs

Fans bawled at the top of their lungs when the band came on.

Synonyms and how they differ

wail

Wail suggests a long, high-pitched cry of grief; bawl is louder, cruder, and used for crying or shouting.

yell

Yell is neutral for shouting; bawl adds force and often emotion or anger.

sob

Sob means crying in short, shaky breaths; bawl means crying noisily at full volume.

Opposites

Word family

bawling noun

Loud crying: 'the bawling of the baby kept us awake.'

bawler noun

A person or animal that cries or shouts loudly; rare.

Commonly confused: bawl or ball?

Practice

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