wail

American  

[weyl] / weɪl /

verb (used without object)

wails, present (3rd person singular) wailed, past participle, past wailing present participle

1. to utter a prolonged, inarticulate, mournful cry, usually high-pitched or clear-sounding, as in grief or suffering.

   to wail with pain.

2. to make mournful sounds, as music or the wind.

3. to lament or mourn bitterly.

4. Jazz. to perform exceptionally well.

5. Slang. to express emotion musically or verbally in an exciting, satisfying way.

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verb (used with object)

wails, present (3rd person singular) wailed, past participle, past wailing present participle

1. to express deep sorrow for; mourn; lament; bewail.

   to wail the dead;

   to wail one's fate.

2. to express in wailing; cry or say in lamentation.

   to wail one's grief.

noun

1. the act of wailing.

2. a wailing cry, as of grief, pain, or despair.

3. any similar mournful sound.

   the wail of an old tune.

wail British  

/ weɪl /

verb

1. (intr) to utter a prolonged high-pitched cry, as of grief or misery

2. (intr) to make a sound resembling such a cry

   the wind wailed in the trees

3. (tr) to lament, esp with mournful sounds

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noun

1. a prolonged high-pitched mournful cry or sound

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• wailer
  noun
• unwailed
  adjective
• wailful
  adjective
• wailfully
  adverb

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has wailed
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have wailed
  perfect
• has been wailing
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• are wailing
  progressive
• am wailing
  progressive 1st person singular
• have been wailing
  perfect progressive
• is wailing
  progressive 3rd person singular
• wails
  singular 3rd person
• wailing
  participle

Past

• had wailed
  perfect
• were wailing
  progressive plural
• was wailing
  progressive singular
• had been wailing
  perfect progressive
• wailed
  participle
• wailed
  simple

Future

• will wail
  simple
• will have wailed
  perfect
• will have been wailing
  perfect progressive
• will be wailing
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of wail

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English weile (verb and noun), perhaps derivative of Old English weilāwei wellaway ( def. ); compare Old English wǣlan “to torment,” Old Norse wǣla “to wail”

Explanation

To wail is to let loose a long loud cry. If you're feeling truly miserable, take a deep breath and wail as loudly as possible. When it comes to expressing unhappiness, wailing lies at the extreme end of the spectrum. So, it's best to save this response for life's most unpleasant moments — unless you're a jazz musician. In jazz terminology, wailing on one's instrument is actually a good thing. What's the connection between an eardrum-shattering expression of misery and a hot jam session? The answer to that question may depend on your personal musical preferences.

Example Sentences

If you’ve wondered what would happen when a garage-rocker cowboy is joined by a punk who likes the Western wail of steel guitars, look no further than “Blame the Clown.”

From Salon • Jun. 5, 2026

At each siren wail, the musicians were trained to dive for cover - sometimes mid-session.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

Some people, like Anna Shilanski, are choosing to spend their nights underground to avoid having to wake up and rush downstairs when air raid sirens wail in the wee hours.

From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026

Then it happened — somewhere between a cymbal crash and a guitar wail.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 23, 2025

I can hear the wail hiding in her voice.

From "Black Brother, Black Brother" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Related Words

• fuss
• grieve
• howl
• moan
• mourn
• sob
• weep
• whimper