bawl

American  

[bawl] / bɔl /

verb (used without object)

1. to cry or wail lustily.

   Synonyms:

   wail, bellow, roar, squall, yowl, howl

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verb (used with object)

1. to utter or proclaim by outcry; shout out.

   to bawl one's dissatisfaction;

   bawling his senseless ditties to the audience.

2. to offer for sale by shouting, as a hawker.

   a peddler bawling his wares.

noun

1. a loud shout; outcry.

2. a period or spell of loud crying or weeping.

3. Chiefly Midland and Western U.S. the noise made by a calf.

verb phrase

1. bawl out to scold vociferously; reprimand or scold vigorously.

   Your father will bawl you out when he sees this mess.

bawl British  

/ bɔːl /

verb

1. (intr) to utter long loud cries, as from pain or frustration; wail

2. to shout loudly, as in anger

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noun

1. a loud shout or cry

Other Word Forms

• bawler noun
• bawling noun
• outbawl verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of bawl

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin baulāre “to bark,” from Germanic; compare Old Norse baula “to low,” baula “cow,” perhaps a conflation of belja ( bell ² ) with an unrecorded old root bhu-

Example Sentences

There were a lot of times when everyone was asleep, everybody was full and fed, and I would just bawl crying.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2024

The meeting was called after Thursday’s bawl on Copacabana that saw nine arrested across the city’s affluent southern zone, police said.

From Washington Times • Nov. 3, 2023

The punchline rocks the audience, who bawl with laughter, interspersed with oohing.

From Salon • Mar. 10, 2023

"In other ones, you can join in a bit but do you really have to shout and bawl and scream?" he added.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2023

I bawl at the splintered sunlight where half a second ago she stood.

From "Grendel" by John Gardner

Related Words

• holler