yowl

[ youl ]

verb (used without object)

1. to utter a long, distressful or dismal cry, as an animal or a person; howl.

noun

1. a yowling cry; a howl.

yowl

/ jaʊl /

verb

1. to express with or produce a loud mournful wail or cry; howl

noun

1. a loud mournful cry; wail or howl

Derived Forms

• ˈyowler, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of yowl¹

1175–1225; Middle English yuhele, yule, youle, apparently from a cry of pain or distress yuhele; compare Old English geoh- (in geohthu grief )

Word History and Origins

Origin of yowl¹

C13: from Old Norse gaula; related to German jaulen; see yawl ²

Example Sentences

“Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose,” Joplin sang in her signature blues-rock yowl — perhaps the best-known piece of wisdom in Kristofferson’s very wise catalog.

From Los Angeles Times

Whenever a stone hit my shoulder or my back, I would yowl like a dog, hoping to light some sort of pity in their hearts, even though—as I said—I knew these men, and this was the kindness of their hearts.

From Literature

To communicate, they grunt and yowl and gesture with a serio-comic zeal that earned my reluctant admiration.

From New York Times

Every time a lawyer or a judge tries to impose legally mandated consequences on Trump for his multitude of crimes, a chorus rises up to yowl that he will only get stronger for it.

From Salon

Adam looks up from his phone every now and again and starts to see a chair in his apartment rocking of its own free will; his cats gather at the door and yowl.

From Los Angeles Times