Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Making a long, loud, emotional cry: Describes something that produces or is characterized by a prolonged, loud, often mournful or wild vocal sound, like that of a wolf, dog, or strong wind.
   • Extraordinarily great or intense; used as an intensifier: (Informal) Used to emphasize the extreme degree of something, often its size, success, or negative quality.

2. Noun:

   • The act or sound of producing a long, loud, emotional cry: The action or instance of uttering a howl.

Usage and Examples

• As an Adjective (Describing a Sound):

  • The howling wind kept us awake all night.
  • We could hear the howling of wolves in the distance. (Here, "howling" functions as a gerund, a verb form acting as a noun, but it describes the sound itself.)

• As an Adjective (Used as an Intensifier):

  • The party was a howling success.
  • It was a howling mistake to trust him.

• As a Noun:

  • The constant howling from the neighbor's dog is a nuisance.
  • His howling in pain alerted the doctors.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• "a howling wilderness": A literary phrase describing a desolate, wild, and uninhabited place, often with the implication of being windswept and bleak.

  • After the war, the city was reduced to a howling wilderness.

• The intensifier use ("a howling success") is informal and adds dramatic emphasis. It is similar to saying "a tremendous success" or "a fantastic success."

Variants and Related Words

• Howl (verb/noun): The base form. As a verb: to utter a long, loud, mournful cry. As a noun: the cry itself.

  • The dog will howl at the moon. (Verb)
  • She let out a howl of laughter. (Noun)

• Howler (noun):

  • A person or animal that howls.
  • (Informal) A glaring and amusing mistake.

    • The report was full of factual howlers.

Synonyms

• Adjective (for sound): Wailing, bawling, yowling, roaring (of wind).
• Adjective (as intensifier): Tremendous, fantastic, marvelous, colossal, enormous.
• Noun: Wail, cry, yowl, roar.

Antonyms

• Adjective (for sound): Silent, quiet, hushed.
• Adjective (as intensifier): Moderate, minor, insignificant, mediocre.

Idioms and Fixed Phrases

• "howling mob": A large, noisy, and unruly crowd expressing strong emotion, often anger.

  • The politician was confronted by a howling mob of protesters.

• "howling shame": (Informal) An extreme and conspicuous disgrace.

  • It's a howling shame that such talent went unrecognized.

Adjective

1. extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
   • a fantastic trip to the Orient
   • the film was fantastic!
   • a howling success
   • a marvelous collection of rare books
   • had a rattling conversation about politics
   • a tremendous achievement

Noun

1. a long loud emotional utterance
   • he gave a howl of pain
   • howls of laughter
   • their howling had no effect