as in howl
a loud vocal expression of strong emotion
the cat gave a yowl of anger
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
a bitterly cold winter that had people yowling about their heating bills
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of yowl
Paula Mejía, Vulture, 5 July 2025
Some hockey teams have incorporated sound effects into their celebratory goal-horn noise—a cannon blast for the Columbus Blue Jackets, a cat’s yowl for the Florida Panthers.
—Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
Kelli Bender, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025
How to get your cat to stop meowing Some breeds, like Siamese cats, meow and yowl more than others.
—Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for yowl
Noun
Liam sang most of the songs in his reedy yowl, all charisma with his hands pulled behind his back, head tilted up toward the sky and a parka often inexplicably zipped all the way up to his chin.
—Paula Mejía, Vulture, 5 July 2025
Some hockey teams have incorporated sound effects into their celebratory goal-horn noise—a cannon blast for the Columbus Blue Jackets, a cat’s yowl for the Florida Panthers.
—Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
Verb
In the clip, Mees opens the door for the yowling Crush, who quickly paws inside and jumps up on a side table next to Cora's crib.
—Kelli Bender, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025
How to get your cat to stop meowing Some breeds, like Siamese cats, meow and yowl more than others.
—Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for yowl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yowl
Noun
-
Such prices have set off howls of protest from some fans.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
My 2-year-old daughter’s howls of protest echoed through the previously silent forest of towering Norway spruce.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Commenters who never have been — and never will go — complain about the cost, the influencers, the hype.—
Andrea Domanick,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In response to shouts for everyone to get down, one administration official at a media table crawled under it, with just her high heels poking out.—
Calvin Woodward,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Outside, a kid spots the bus and shouts.—
Emmanuel Igunza,
NPR,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
One resident wakes up to a hooded stranger preparing to stab her and silently points them to her sleeping husband rather than scream.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
-
On the bright side for Smith, he's still getting paid millions to scream into a camera and show up courtside to stir drama.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In an interview earlier in March with the Yale Alumni Association, Chun admitted to making a mistake that made her cry in her first year as Yale AD.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Gabriela is not used to seeing her mother get emotional, but this made her cry.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
All this in an environment where politicians like Jeff Bridges (running for state treasurer who lives in the Cherry Creek school district) whine and snivel about his associates in the teachers’ union not having the funds to effectively teach our kids.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Seattle families deal with this all the time, and the city is packed with indoor options that will keep your crew happy — no need to endure whining.—
Lauren Schuster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Is such an existential shriek into the abyss, all while living in a society suffused by mind-numbing grief and nationalism, worth subjecting yourself to?—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Lee’s introduction of Liu sparked shrieks, mostly among young students from the nearby Oakland School for the Arts, which Liu also attended for one semester.—
Ron Kroichick,
San Francisco Chronicle,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The score by Joseph Bishara is shivery with chorales that moan like wraiths in the wind.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
On the British side of the Pond, however, no government has dared to do worse things to the BBC than moan about it.—
Max Hastings,
Twin Cities,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Yowl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yowl. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
