What is the meaning of wail?

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noun

A cry of sorrow and grief.
- usage: "their pitiful laments could be heard throughout the ward"
- synonyms: lament, lamentation, plaint

verb

Emit long loud cries.
- usage: "wail in self-pity"; "howl with sorrow"
- synonyms: howl, ululate, roar, yawl, yaup
Cry weakly or softly.
- usage: "she wailed with pain"
- synonyms: whimper, mewl, pule

WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University

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APA	WordNet. (2010). wail. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/wail/definitions/1319913
Chicago	WordNet. 2010. "wail" http://smartdefine.org/wail/definitions/1319913 (accessed September 20, 2026).
Harvard	WordNet 2010, wail, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/wail/definitions/1319913>.
MLA	WordNet. "wail" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/wail/definitions/1319913>

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WordNet Webster's Joan Ellis