Meaning & use
squaled
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“squaled” is a form of “squall”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbintransitive
Cried out in a loud, harsh, and usually brief way, often in pain, fear, or protest.
Grammar: No object; often followed by a prepositional phrase or a direct quote: The baby squaled in surprise.
Patterns
- squaled in something
- squaled with something
- squaled at someone
The injured bird squaled once and then fell silent.
She squaled in frustration when she saw the broken vase.
The toddler squaled with delight as the puppy licked his face.
verbintransitive
(Of the wind) blew suddenly and strongly, especially in short, violent gusts.
Grammar: No object; often used with 'through' or 'across' to show direction: The wind squaled through the trees.
Patterns
- squaled through something
- squaled across something
The wind squaled through the narrow alley, rattling the windows.
A cold gust squaled across the open field, bending the grass flat.
All night the wind squaled, keeping the sailors awake.
Word forms
| third person singular | squalls |
|---|---|
| past tense | squaled |
| past participle | squaled |
| -ing form | squaling |
Common combinations
- squaled in pain
- The dog squaled in pain when it stepped on the sharp rock.
- squaled with delight
- The children squaled with delight as the clown made balloon animals.
- squaled through the trees
- The wind squaled through the trees, making an eerie sound.
- squaled like a stuck pig
- He squaled like a stuck pig when he stubbed his toe.
- squaled in protest
- The baby squaled in protest when her toy was taken away.
Synonyms and how they differ
- screamed
- Screamed is more general and can be used for any loud, high-pitched cry, while squaled often suggests a shorter, more animal-like sound.
- yelled
- Yelled usually refers to a loud shout meant to be heard at a distance, whereas squaled is more about a sharp, uncontrolled cry.
- shrieked
- Shrieked is very similar but often implies a higher pitch and more suddenness; squaled is slightly less common and more literary.
Opposites
Word family
- squall noun
- A sudden, violent gust of wind, often with rain or snow.
- squally adjective
- Characterized by sudden, strong gusts of wind.
Commonly confused: squaled or squealed? squaled or squandered?
squaled vs squealed
Squealed means made a long, high-pitched sound, often in delight or pain, and is more common than squaled. Squaled is a sharper, shorter cry.
squaled vs squandered
Squandered means wasted something (like money or an opportunity). It is unrelated in meaning but similar in spelling.
Practice
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence: 'The wind _____ through the cracks in the old cabin, making a high-pitched whistling noise.'
Choose one answer.
The correct answer is 'squaled' because it describes the sound of wind blowing suddenly and strongly. 'Squealed' is a high-pitched cry usually made by a person or animal, not wind. 'Squandered' means wasted, and 'squabbled' means argued, so neither fits the context.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “squaled”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.