caterwaul
1
9.6
- noun
- /ˈkætərˌwɔl/
- Literature
- During mating season, the female cats would caterwaul, signaling their presence to the males.
Examples
-
In fact, this caterwaul is created by Salpeter, who stops the disk that spins before him and sends it screeching in the opposite direction.
Fiction book (1999) -
On the storm-struck deck, wind sirens caterwaul.
Blog text (17) -
Her slow caterwaul raked the air as the veins in her chicken neck trembled.
Fiction book (1996) -
At that moment, the music seemed the unearthly caterwaul of the lost souls of the damned, and it seemed that I had appeared to destroy this hopeful company struggling to recuperate themselves.
Fiction book (1991) -
The neighbor's cat began to caterwaul loudly in the middle of the night, disturbing everyone in the street.
-
We heard the caterwaul of stray cats outside as they fought for territory on our block.
Synonyms
58
3.3
A very loud high sound that hurts your ears
54
3.2
A long loud cry that shows pain or deep sadness
39
2.9
A loud, high, sharp sound that startles people
15
3.0
A loud, very high sound like a scream made by a person or animal
3
7.2
A loud, long cry that sounds like an animal in pain
1
8.7
A short high sound that a cat makes
A high, often soft sound that a cat makes to get attention
A long, very high sound that hurts the ears
A very loud, high cry that sounds like someone in great fear or pain
Antonyms
How Shrill
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Caterwaul comes from cat + waul ('to wail'), so the noun names a loud, shrill cry like a cat's yowl. That's why a caterwaul is a loud, wailing noise, especially the loud cry of a cat.