as in weeping
expressing or suggesting mourning
a wailing quality in her voice that makes her a natural for country music
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in screaming
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
the state's residents are always wailing about their high taxes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in howling
to make a long loud mournful sound
the women stood beside the coffins, wailing for their fallen sons and daughters
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in moaning
to utter a moan
the patient lay in her bed, occasionally softly wailing in pain
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wailing
Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
Ian Cummings, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2026
Subjecting them, and us, to a series of repetitive wailing sequences blunts any potential emotional sharpness.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026
The fever dream continued with Howard wailing on guitar and vocals, the production morphing into a beautiful stew of blues rock and given an exclamation point – and a standing ovation – with Copeland spinning out of the shadows.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 16 Mar. 2026
Israel’s technology system warns Israelis with mobile phone messages and wailing public alarms that provide an advanced notice of incoming Iranian missiles and drones.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 13 Mar. 2026
For five days, Nelsie Yang worried over the fate of her father’s younger brother, a beloved uncle removed from his home by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the presence of his wailing children, one of whom has a genetic condition similar to Down syndrome.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
In Union City on Saturday, March 7, the purring and wailing of chainsaws was constant.
—Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 7 Mar. 2026
Video obtained by The Associated Press showed the smoke with an alarm wailing, and a correspondent for French news agency AFP saw smoke rising from the diplomatic mission.
—March 2, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
In the early twentieth century, on the Andaman Islands, social anthropologists observed ritualistic greetings that involved wailing and weeping.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Sitting opposite an old people’s home in a residential corner of Paris’ 14th arrondissement, La Santé’s unassuming presence is only given away by the occasional wailing siren as prisoners are transported to and from the site.
—Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
After Thursday’s storms sent tornado sirens wailing across the metro, forecasters expect a quiet Friday before a potentially more dangerous round of severe weather Sunday into Monday.
—Ian Cummings, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2026
Subjecting them, and us, to a series of repetitive wailing sequences blunts any potential emotional sharpness.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026
The fever dream continued with Howard wailing on guitar and vocals, the production morphing into a beautiful stew of blues rock and given an exclamation point – and a standing ovation – with Copeland spinning out of the shadows.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 16 Mar. 2026
Israel’s technology system warns Israelis with mobile phone messages and wailing public alarms that provide an advanced notice of incoming Iranian missiles and drones.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 13 Mar. 2026
For five days, Nelsie Yang worried over the fate of her father’s younger brother, a beloved uncle removed from his home by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the presence of his wailing children, one of whom has a genetic condition similar to Down syndrome.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
In Union City on Saturday, March 7, the purring and wailing of chainsaws was constant.
—Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 7 Mar. 2026
Video obtained by The Associated Press showed the smoke with an alarm wailing, and a correspondent for French news agency AFP saw smoke rising from the diplomatic mission.
—March 2, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
In the early twentieth century, on the Andaman Islands, social anthropologists observed ritualistic greetings that involved wailing and weeping.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wailing
Adjective
-
And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
-
The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Verb
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Richter’s grand slam Tuesday against Tinley Park ended with plenty of screaming and high-fives at home plate.—
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Any passengers not knocked out during the chaos or sucked out into the sky are generally screaming and grabbing for oxygen masks while Captain Rich makes a futile announcement about the importance of not panicking.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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By the fourth quarter, this game was over, leaving it to Kennard to send the crowd howling into the night by supplying three fourth-quarter treys on three attempts and making a Game 1 MVP out of Rob Pelinka.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
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Elsewhere, Paula Rego’s two self portraits from 2017 show the artist howling through expressive pastel strokes.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But a male voice could be heard moaning in the background.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
-
One minute later, Pedro Neto was yellow-carded for moaning.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The hour-long event included mournful hymns, prayers and the laying of wreaths by the participants, which included representatives from many countries around the world.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
His face, always stationed somewhere halfway to hangdog, seems to gain 20 new creases carved deep into his skin, accentuating his mournful eyes and his excruciated, heartbroken smile.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Elsewhere, Super Mario Galaxy is hardly complaining about coming in second ruling the roost for weeks, since it’s now focused on becoming the first film of the year to join the billion-dollar club after finishing Sunday with a global total of $871 million.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Apr. 2026
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The dog-waste donnybrook was similar to another recent clash in Brooklyn that saw a 75-year-old grandmother jumped and beaten for complaining that a dog walker was not cleaning up the pooch’s poop.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And knitting meant clumsily looping a strand of acrylic yarn onto the tip of a bamboo needle, groaning, then handing the project to my mother for help.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
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No amount of jazz playlists can stop him from glancing at his GPS, groaning as the ETA keeps getting pushed back.—
Connor Letourneau,
San Francisco Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The search would have captured 3,000 users, including more than 1,000 attending a funeral service at the Islamic Center of New Mexico.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
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Mohammed Zaatari / APMourners gather around the coffin of Amal Khalil ahead of her funeral procession today.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wailing. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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