caterwaul Definition
to make a loud and unpleasant sound, especially a cat.
Using caterwaul: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "caterwaul" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The cats were caterwauling outside my window all night.
Example
The baby started to caterwaul when he saw the stranger.
Example
The singer caterwauled through the entire song.
caterwaul Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with caterwaul
Example
The kids were caterwauling like banshees at the party.
to complain or express dissatisfaction about something in a loud and unpleasant way
Example
He was caterwauling over the poor service at the restaurant.
Example
The band was caterwauling out of tune during their performance.
Origins of caterwaul
from Middle English 'caterwaulen', meaning 'to cry as cats in rutting time'
Summary: caterwaul in Brief
'Caterwaul' [ˈkætərˌwɔl] is a verb that describes making a loud and unpleasant sound, especially that of a cat. It can be used to describe human vocalizations as well, as in 'The singer caterwauled through the entire song.' The phrase 'caterwaul like a banshee' is often used hyperbolically to describe loud noise, while 'caterwaul over something' means to complain loudly and unpleasantly about something.