WAILS Synonyms: 138 Similar and Opposite Words

wails 1 of 2

noun

plural of wail

as in tears

a crying out in grief a prolonged wail arose from every corner of the city as the victims of the earthquake were unearthed from the rubble

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as in groans

a long low sound indicating pain or grief rescuers heard a faint wail coming from the pile of rubble, a sure sign that one of the victims was still alive

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as in whines

an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment a transit fare increase that is sure to bring wails from the straphangers

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wails

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of wail

as in complains

to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely the state's residents are always wailing about their high taxes

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as in howls

to make a long loud mournful sound the women stood beside the coffins, wailing for their fallen sons and daughters

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as in moans

to utter a moan the patient lay in her bed, occasionally softly wailing in pain

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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 wails

Noun

Memory tends to lose sound quickly, but even years later, Jake’s mother’s wails play with the same staccatos and double chords. — Caroline Cherston, STAT, 25 Aug. 2026 Mourners beat their chests rhythmically in the intense summer heat, the wails of women cutting through the noise as the body of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was unveiled beneath a glass case at the Grand Mosalla. — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 4 July 2026 After a second of consideration, Naim slams the grate shut to the monster’s wails, and the audience’s relief. — Arushi Jacob, Variety, 19 June 2026 Her wails of pain were audible on TV broadcasts as medics tended to her before a helicopter finally carried her away. — Becky Sullivan, NPR, 6 May 2026 Within moments, a smoke detector wails. — ArsTechnica, 1 May 2026 Mitchell has made the point before that every new technology brings wails that the fish won’t survive. — Mike McFeely, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026 There was grit and grime to his feedback-heavy guitar wails, but there was sweep and grandeur too, more apparent on stage than on record. — Piet Levy, jsonline.com, 28 Mar. 2026 Ride the thrill of Hostile Design’s passionate wails and percussion overload when the group headlines eight shows to kick off the new year, making their way across California, Rhode Island, Quebec, Ontario, Pennsylvania, and Illinois with the same energy that once fueled their humble beginnings. — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026

Verb

Sam makes a production out of teasing them, mock-reaching for various items on the set as the whole group moans and wails in distress. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026 Another voice wails in the background. — ABC News, 28 Feb. 2026 Anna wails, determined to separate the pair at any cost and not lacking in support from the others. — Damon Wise, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2026 As Electridad wails for justice, her brother Orestes spends his time in exile with Nino (Luis Medina), a move made by his late father in probable anticipation of his demise. — Zach Dennis, Charlotte Observer, 15 Aug. 2025 The Ferrari hybrid, for its part, still wails like a La Scala tenor to an emotional, 8,000-rpm peak. — IEEE Spectrum, 29 Mar. 2022

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wails

Noun

Messi added a fitting score — his 126th career goal for Argentina on a penalty kick in the 70th minute to set off collective chanting of the beloved icon’s name and more tears.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
In the other van, Gen cries tears of pride and fulfillment after Aesha and Nathan praise her performance in the last charter.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of tears

Verb

China is demanding the US ease export bans on high-tech goods, like chipmaking gear; the US bitterly complains about Chinese overproduction and transhipment.

— Andy Browne, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026
There’ll always be someone who doesn’t like it, who complains about it.

— Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of complains

Noun

These rock lamentations will not be carried over to the full-length album the band still has in the works, which Bono promises will have a more joyful tone.

— Chris Willman, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026
The album’s Bandcamp blurb shouts out Ghédalia Tarzatès, the late French composer who collaged his wails and lamentations in the endangered Ladino language to evoke pangs of existential angst.

— H.D. Angel, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026

Definition of lamentations

Noun

History of safety complaints Former pilots of 21 Air, the air-cargo company operating the Amazon Prime plane that fatal Sunday, had previously gone on record shining light on a host of safety complaints well before the crash.

— David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Their complaints include inadequate staffing at schools, a lack of resources, crumbling infrastructure, and allegedly overpacked schedules.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026