What does bawled mean?
Bawled is the past tense and past participle of the verb bawl, which has two closely related senses: crying noisily and uncontrollably, and shouting loudly and harshly. A child who loses a balloon may bawl inconsolably; a furious coach may bawl at players across the field. The word implies a lack of restraint — this is not quiet weeping or firm speech but raw, full-volume vocalizing. It appears most often in informal and narrative contexts, frequently for comic or dramatic effect, as in the idiom 'bawled her eyes out.' The verb dates back to Middle English and has long been associated with the indiscriminate wailing of animals and infants. Because it is a homophone of 'balled,' writers should take care with spelling, since the two words carry entirely unrelated meanings.
verb (past tense and past participle of bawl)The past tense and past participle of 'bawl': to shout or cry out loudly and unrestrainedly, whether in anger or in distress.
- To cry noisily and uncontrollably, as a child does.
- To shout or yell loudly, often in anger or reprimand.
"She bawled across the yard for the children to come inside at once."
"The toddler bawled the moment the ice cream slipped from its cone."
"The sergeant bawled at the recruits until the whole parade ground fell silent."
'Bawled' sounds exactly like 'balled' but could not mean anything more different — one involves tears, the other involves testicles.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bawled
Bawled derives from the verb bawl, recorded in Middle English from around the fourteenth century, originally describing the loud cries of animals such as cattle and later extended to human shouting and wailing. Its further origins are uncertain, though it has been linked to similar-sounding words in other Germanic and Romance languages. It has been part of everyday English speech for centuries, preserving a robust, earthy tone.
Related word forms
How bawled is actually used
Informal to neutral register. When applied to adults crying, it carries a slightly vivid or humorous connotation of excessive, uncontrolled weeping; when applied to shouting, it suggests harshness rather than mere loudness.
Easily confused with bawled
'Bawled' means shouted or cried loudly, while the homophone 'balled' means formed into a ball or, in slang, had sex.