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DictionarymewlWeak crying
verb

mewl

MYOOL/mjuːl/

Cry in a weak, whimpering way.

The tiny kitten mewls softly while crouching on the folded towel.

A very young kitten makes a small, plaintive cry while crouched on a folded towel.
Etymology

Mewl imitates the sound of a cat or a child crying. Its meaning focuses on the feeble, plaintive quality of that cry.

More examples

  • A tiny kitten mewled beneath the porch.
  • The newborn starts mewling whenever she gets hungry.
  • The exhausted child could only mewl for his mother.

Forms

mewl · mewls · mewled · mewling

Similar words

whimper
Emphasizes low, broken cries from pain, fear, or distress.
sob
Means crying with catching breaths, often more forcefully than mewling.