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

wails plural

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• wails
  plural

Participles

• wailing
  present
• wailed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• wail
  simple
• wails
  simple
• have wailed
  perfect
• has wailed
  perfect
• am wailing
  progressive
• are wailing
  progressive
• is wailing
  progressive
• have been wailing
  perfect progressive
• has been wailing
  perfect progressive

Past

• wailed
  simple
• had wailed
  perfect
• was wailing
  progressive
• were wailing
  progressive
• had been wailing
  perfect progressive

Future

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

Full of sorrow and restraint, the opening verses are entombed by muffled synths before Liene explodes into an operatic wail of catharsis in the dying moments.

From BBC • May 8, 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

Police and firefighter sirens wail in the distance.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2026

Zhao has been signaling this moment from the start of the film, and when Hamnet’s bright, earnest voice is replaced by Buckley’s full-bodied, guttural wail, it’s nearly impossible to stay stone-faced.

From Salon • Nov. 30, 2025

Natalie let out a wail and turned to the side, hiding her face.

From "The Strangers" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Related Words

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