to caterwaul
4
9.8
- verb
- /ˈkætərˌwɔl/
- Literature
- Henrietta was plenty upset already; she was raging and caterwauling in the kitchen.
- caterwauled like alley cats
Examples
-
What's all that caterwauling in the kitchen?
-
Those cats caterwauling seemed like the oldest and saddest noise in the world.
Fiction book (1998) -
What the hell are you caterwauling about, Vern?
-
They have been caterwauling all night!
-
I turn, expecting to see cats or birds caterwauling, or maybe a shadowy bat against the light of the stars.
Fiction book (1998) -
The cat began to caterwaul loudly at midnight, keeping everyone awake.
-
After losing the game, the player started to caterwaul in frustration.
-
The children were caterwauling in the playground, much to the annoyance of the neighbors.
Synonyms
70
4.0
To make a loud, high, sharp sound that startles people
59
3.0
To make a long, high sound like a pig or excited child
39
2.6
To make a long high, unpleasant sound like a machine
5
6.3
To make a loud, long cry that sounds like it hurts
3
7.2
To make a loud high sound like a baby or bird
2
4.8
To make a very high, sharp sound often as a cry
1
9.9
Make a loud, rough sound like a shout to show anger or complaint
1
9.9
To make a loud, high, sad sound like a cat's cry
1
9.9
To make a short, high, harsh sound like an owl or old gate
To make a long, high, sad noise like crying
Antonyms
How Shrill
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Caterwaul comes from cat + waul ('to wail'), so a helpful way to remember the verb is 'to wail like a cat'. That's why to caterwaul means to make a loud, shrill, unpleasant crying sound.