What does howled mean?
“Howled” is the past-tense form of “howl,” a verb meaning to make a deep, prolonged wailing cry. It is most immediately associated with the sound of dogs or wolves, but people also howl when overwhelmed by grief, pain, fear, anger, or laughter. The word can also describe a loud, sustained noise, as in “the wind howled outside.” Its strong emotional quality makes it more dramatic and expressive than simply saying that someone cried or shouted. The related adjective “howling” is common in phrases such as “a howling wind” and “a howling success,” where it suggests extreme intensity. The word is especially useful for writing vividly about sound, emotion, and force, whether the source is an animal, a person, or the weather.
verbTo emit a prolonged, deep wail, especially as a wolf or dog does. In figurative use, it means to cry loudly, often from grief, pain, anger, or laughter.
- To make a deep, prolonged wailing cry, especially like a dog or wolf.
- To cry loudly in grief, pain, fear, anger, or distress.
- To shout with laughter.
- To make a loud, roaring noise, as a strong wind may do.
"The dog howled through the night as the storm passed over the house."
"The wind howled through the empty street, rattling the windows."
"She began to howl with laughter at the unexpected joke."
From the mournful cry of wolves to the wild laughter of a crowd, “howl” captures the power of a sound that cannot be ignored.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does howled come from?
“Howled” is the regular past-tense and past-participle form of “howl,” with the historical form of the verb appearing in Middle English as “howlen.” The core sense of a deep, sustained wailing cry is old, and the word has long been used for both animals and people. Its ultimate origin is uncertain, with proposed connections to Old English and to imitative wailing; the modern English spelling was established over time.
Related word forms
How howled is actually used
The verb is vivid and emotionally expressive. It is commonly used for human cries and laughter as well as for animals, weather, or machines. “Howl with laughter” is idiomatic and often suggests uncontrollable or very loud amusement.