meow
Americannoun
-
meows
plural
-
the characteristic sound a cat makes.
-
a spiteful or catty remark.
verb (used without object)
-
meows,
present (3rd person singular)
-
meowed,
past participle, past
-
meowing
present participle
-
to make the sound of a cat.
-
to make a spiteful or catty remark.
verb
interjection
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
meowsimple
-
meowssimple
-
have meowedperfect
-
has meowedperfect
-
am meowingprogressive
-
are meowingprogressive
-
is meowingprogressive
-
have been meowingperfect progressive
-
has been meowingperfect progressive
Past
-
meowedsimple
-
had meowedperfect
-
was meowingprogressive
-
were meowingprogressive
-
had been meowingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of meow
First recorded in 1870–75; imitative
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.
See Examples For:
The meow, in short, is meant for us.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Schwartz says the meow of a domestic cat is “cuter and less harsh” than those of a wild cat.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Together, these results highlight how domestication shaped the modern cat's voice, turning the meow into a flexible communication tool while leaving the purr as a steady marker of individuality.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 11, 2026
They may meow to ask for food, demand attention, or even "complain."
From Science Daily ● Feb. 11, 2026
I took my soaking brush in hand, stroked my gold cake, and a cat streaked out on my paper in one lightning stroke, whiskers, tail, meow and all!
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
Asked, for instance, if he meows to his cats, Jonathan B. Losos, an evolutionary biologist and author of the book, “The Cat’s Meow: How Cats Evolved From the Savanna to Your Sofa,” wouldn’t deny it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Yet there are key differences in the meows.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Their meows varied far more than those of their wild relatives, suggesting that life alongside humans reshaped how cats use their voices.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 11, 2026
Cats use meows in many different situations, especially when interacting with humans.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 11, 2026
We were greeted by a chorus of barks and meows from the patients scattered throughout the waiting area.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
As they worked, the kitten, caught by her neck, meowed and tried to use her back paws to push the cabinet away.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
“I thought I heard a meow, and I thought my mind’s playing tricks on me so I hollered his name out, and he meowed again,” Gibson said.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 22, 2021
Throughout the summer, it stretched awake in the morning, meowed at passersby during rush hour and curled into a sleepy ball after midnight.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 3, 2021
Updike introduced the character of a cat that both meowed and talked, a charming role that Schuller assigned to a high soprano.
From New York Times ● Apr. 9, 2021
You could see Mrs. Wheeler really perk up her ears at that, so Trotter meowed again.
From "Doing Time Online" by Jan Siebold
She would climb into the basket on her own, meowing, purring and rolling on her back.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
In the more upmarket north of Tehran, many residents appeared to have left, with the meowing of cats and birdsong replacing the usual din of traffic jams.
From Barron's ● Mar. 3, 2026
"People pay most attention to meowing because cats mainly use these vocalizations toward us," explains the study's first author, Danilo Russo.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 11, 2026
A cat meowing for Hellmann’s mayonnaise, Peyton Manning chucking Bud Light beers to patrons in a bar and Kris Jenner stacking Oreo cookies.
From New York Times ● Feb. 6, 2024
Slowly, my left hand patting Schwarz to encourage a hiatus in her meowing, I worked the top off my drum with my right hand.
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
