howler
Americannoun
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a person, animal, or thing that howls.
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Also called howler monkey. any large, prehensile-tailed tropical American monkey of the genus Alouatta, the males of which make a howling howling noise: some species are endangered.
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a mistake, especially an embarrassing one in speech or writing, that evokes laughter; a very humorous mistake or a funny blunder.
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Informal. something that makes a piercing and often prolonged noise, as an alarm.
noun
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Also called: howler monkey. any large New World monkey of the genus Alouatta, inhabiting tropical forests in South America and having a loud howling cry
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informal a glaring mistake
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(formerly) a device that produces a loud tone in a telephone receiver to attract attention when the receiver is incorrectly replaced
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a person or thing that howls
Etymology
Origin of howler
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The real howler, though, is Netflix’s claim that it’s acting now on some uncannily fine-toothed financial appraisal.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
The home side rode their luck against in-form Villa, who hit the woodwork twice before Mohamed Salah scored his 250th goal for the club following a howler from Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
From Barron's • Nov. 2, 2025
On occasion those offering a majority opinion screech like howler monkeys.
From Salon • Aug. 15, 2025
It has also been blamed for the deaths of howler monkeys in the southern state of Tabasco.
From BBC • Jun. 20, 2024
Fiddler crabs scurry when you’re ten yards away; howler monkeys stir in their branches when you’re at twenty; African buffaloes react at seventy-five.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
