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Glite Dictionary
to howl at the moon

to howl at the moon

4 8.2
To make a long loud cry like a wolf to show strong feeling
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : aullar a la luna
  • Sometimes I come outside at night just to howl at the moon.
  • a dog howls at the moon

Examples

  • On quiet nights, I love to howl at the moon to express my deepest feelings.

  • We're gonna howl at the moon!

    Kalifornia (1993)

  • At night, they howl at the moon.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Then, when he's alone, he takes a deep breath and howls at the moon.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Last night, I howled at the moon, and some poor, wretched beast answered from the dark.

    Hemingway & Gellhorn (2012)

  • You're up here, you're howling at the moon!

    Lady and the Tramp (2019)

  • When she felt frustrated, she would often go outside and howl at the moon to release her emotions.

  • After watching the sad movie, he stepped onto the balcony to howl at the moon in despair.

Synonyms

to scream
vsto howl at the moon
∞ 1.0

To make a loud high cry because of fear or pain

is longer and more wailing, conveying ongoing sorrow or yearning instead of sharpness
to yell
vsto howl at the moon
∞ 1.0

To shout loudly because you feel strong pain, anger or excitement

is more prolonged and dramatic, often linked to longing or night expression
to cry
vsto howl at the moon
342 1.0

To make a loud call to show feeling or get attention

is more theatrical and animallike, focusing on long mournful expression
to cry out
vsto howl at the moon
108 1.8

Shout loudly to show a strong feeling, for example when surprised or hurt

is more deliberate and sustained, expressing frustration or longing rather than instant reaction
to shriek
vsto howl at the moon
72 2.9

To make a loud high sound often because of fear, pain or excitement

is lower or more plaintive in tone, focusing on longing rather than high pitch
to howl
vsto howl at the moon
48 2.6

To give a long loud cry because of pain, grief, or anger

is more about dramatic longing and night expression rather than mere loudness
to bellow
vsto howl at the moon
39 4.7

Shout loudly in a deep voice because you are angry or hurt

is more high and plaintive, focusing on emotional longing not just force
to bawl
vsto howl at the moon
39 5.9

Cry or shout loudly and without control

is longer and more mournful, often expressing longing rather than pure loudness
to hoot
vsto howl at the moon
11 3.6

To shout loudly to show anger or excitement

is more personal and mournful, expressing internal longing rather than public noise
to let out a scream
vsto howl at the moon
1 2.1

To make a loud sudden cry because you are scared, hurt, or surprised

is less sudden and more sustained, showing dramatic ongoing feeling rather than a quick burst

Antonyms

to be quiet
231 1.0

To stop making noise or talking

to suppress
88 5.8

To hold back feelings or reactions

How Dramatic

to wail
84 3.2
to howl at the moon
  • Informal
4 8.2
to cry out
108 1.8
to moan
177 1.0
to complain
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

howl at the moon infinitive
howled at the moon past
howled at the moon past participle
howling at the moon present participle
howls at the moon third person singular

Morphology

howl + at + the + Moon

The literal composition 'howl' (long loud cry) + 'at the moon' is directly understandable as making a loud cry directed toward the moon, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can grasp the basic image. However, the idiomatic extension—complaining or expressing strong feelings in a dramatic or futile way—is a metaphorical shift (complaining to an unresponsive object) that is not fully predictable without exposure, so the expression is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Howl at the moon comes from the image of wolves at night, when a wolf will howl up at the bright moon, making a loud, long cry. That picture of noisy, emotional crying is why we use the phrase to mean 'make a loud, emotional cry' or 'express strong feelings' like frustration or longing.