howling

1. 1
   adjective

   Making the long, loud cries that a dog or wolf makes.

   Like the long cry an animal makes at night.

   The howling dog kept the whole street awake.

   A howling wind tore through the valley all night.

   Similarroaring, shrieking, screaming

   Note
2. 2
   verb

   Present participle of howl. Use this form for something happening right now.

   The dogs are howling at the moon tonight.

   She could hear the wind howling outside her window.

   Note
3. 3
   adjectivecolloquial

   Used before another word to mean very great, as in a huge success or failure.

   The play was a howling success on opening night.

   Their first attempt turned out to be a howling failure.

   Similarroaring, resounding, complete, total, utter

   Note
4. 4
   noununcountable

   The act of making long, loud cries like a dog or wolf.

   Like the long, sad sound a dog makes at the moon.

   The howling of the dogs kept us awake all night.

   Loud howling came from somewhere deep in the woods.

   Similarbaying, wailing, yowling

   Note
5. 5
   adjective

   So sad or painful that it makes you want to cry out loud.

   Like a hurt so deep you want to scream.

   He felt a howling sadness after his dog died.

   The empty house filled her with a howling loneliness.

   Similarharrowing, agonizing, anguished

   Note

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