What does bawl mean?
To bawl is to make noise with your voice in a loud, uncontrolled way. The word covers two closely related behaviors: shouting at full volume, often in anger or urgency, and crying with loud, unrestrained sobs — the kind of wailing most associated with infants and young children, though adults can bawl too, particularly in moments of grief or frustration. A parent might bawl instructions across a noisy playground; a toddler might bawl over a dropped ice cream cone. The word is informal in tone and often implies that the vocalizing is excessive, undignified, or hard to ignore. In the phrasal expression "to bawl someone out," it takes on the more specific meaning of scolding or reprimanding someone harshly and loudly. Bawl is a homophone of "ball," which occasionally produces puns and wordplay but also occasional confusion in writing. Vivid and expressive, it remains a staple of everyday English for describing noise that cannot be ignored.
To shout or call out loudly and without restraint.
"He bawled across the yard for his brother to come help."
Often used with "at" to indicate the person being shouted at.
To cry or weep loudly, with unrestrained sobs.
"The baby bawled until someone picked her up."
To utter something in a loud, shouting voice.
""Get off my lawn!" the old man bawled."
To scold or reprimand someone loudly and harshly.
"The manager bawled her out for missing the deadline."
Informal; common in workplace and family contexts.
The plural noun refers to multiple instances of loud shouting or crying; this usage is rare compared to the verb.
"The nursery echoed with the bawls of several hungry infants."
Bawl and ball sound exactly alike, but one means a shiny sphere and the other means sobbing your eyes out — a mix-up as old as the word itself.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bawl
Bawl first appeared in English in the early 17th century, probably imitative in origin — echoing the sound of loud crying or shouting much like "howl" or "yowl." Its earliest recorded senses relate to the barking or howling of dogs before extending to human voices. Some etymologists have suggested a possible influence from Old Norse, though its onomatopoeic character makes the exact path uncertain.
How bawl is actually used
Bawl is informal in register and often carries a connotation of uncontrolled or excessive vocalizing. It is frequently used of children crying and of people shouting angrily. The phrasal verb "bawl out" specifically means to scold someone severely.
Easily confused with bawl
"Ball" is a round object or a formal dance, while "bawl" means to shout or cry loudly — they are homophones with unrelated meanings.