Meaning & use

wail

verb·Everyday

Last updated

To cry out in a long, loud, high-pitched voice expressing grief, pain, or sorrow.

See it in a sentence

The child began to wail after scraping her knee on the pavement.

A wail of sirens echoed through the streets as the ambulance sped by.

A note on using this word

Can describe both human cries and sustained, mournful sounds like sirens or wind.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

laughcheer

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “wail”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.