howled; howling; howls
Synonyms of howlnext

intransitive verb

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

transitive verb

1
: to utter with unrestrained outcry
2
: to drown out or cause to fail by adverse outcry
used especially with down
howl noun

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Those muscles are better suited to holding the lips in a steady funnel to howl than to flicker through expressions. Niranjana Rajalakshmi, Popular Science, 14 May 2026 By nightfall, 100-mile-per-hour winds howled through the canyons. Literary Hub, 13 May 2026 What could be a better way to blow off some grief than turning up the amps and howling out more Kimbrough deep cuts? Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 7 May 2026 Richard howled obscenities at three officers who were talking to him through the locked door. Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for howl

Word History

Etymology

Middle English houlen; akin to Middle High German hiulen to howl

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of howl was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Howl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/howl. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

howl

verb
1
: to make a long loud mournful sound like that of a dog
2
: to cry out loudly (as with pain, grief, or amusement)
howled in protest
howling with laughter
3
: to drown out or cause to fail by an outcry
howled down the opposition
howl noun

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