wail

/weɪl/ (bre, ipa) · /weɪl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈwāl/ (ame, mw)

wail — verb

  • wailpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • wailshe / she / it
  • wailedpast simple
  • wailing-ing form

1. to cry out with a long, loud, high-pitched sound because you are in great pain,

1.動詞不及物B1
釋義

to cry out with a long, loud, high-pitched sound because you are in great pain, very sad, or deeply upset

例句

Renata wailed in pain when she broke her ankle on the wet floor.

intransitive: wail in + [emotion/state]

A loud siren wailed through the empty city streets before sunrise.

inanimate subject: siren wailing

同義詞
  • cry

    general term for shedding tears; wail is louder and higher-pitched

  • sob

    quieter, with short catching breaths; less loud than wail

  • howl

    long, loud cry, often of animals; more guttural than wail

反義詞
  • whisper

    opposite in volume and intensity

  • laugh

    opposite emotional expression

文法句型

wail + in/with + [emotion]

wail + for + [person]

wail + that-clause

用法筆記

Often used with an inanimate subject (wind, siren, alarm) to describe a long, mournful sound that resembles a human cry.

常見錯誤

❌She wailed quietly in her room.
✅She cried quietly in her room.
💡'wail' always implies a loud, high-pitched sound, never a quiet one.
❌The fans wailed with excitement when their team scored.
✅The fans screamed with excitement when their team scored.
💡'wail' expresses grief or pain, not happy excitement.

2. to express strong dissatisfaction in a loud, emotional, and often slightly child

2.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to express strong dissatisfaction in a loud, emotional, and often slightly childish way, especially about something that seems minor to others

例句

Ezra wailed about having to clean his room before going out.

intransitive: wail about + [situation]

Customers wailed that the delivery was three hours late.

followed by that-clause

同義詞
  • complain

    neutral term; wail adds an emotional, noisy quality

  • whine

    similar tone but higher-pitched and more annoying; often used for children

  • grumble

    quieter and less dramatic than wail

反義詞
  • accept

    to stop resisting a situation

  • praise

    to express approval instead of complaint

文法句型

wail + about + [situation]

wail + that-clause

用法筆記

Carries a mildly disapproving tone — suggests the complaint is excessive, dramatic, or childish. Less neutral than 'complain'.

常見錯誤

❌He wailed to the manager about the faulty product.
✅He complained to the manager about the faulty product.
💡'wail' sounds overly emotional for a routine situation; use 'complain' for neutral register.

wail — noun