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howl on

C1 informal intransitive
In simple words

Keep crying or wailing loudly without stopping.

Literal meaning: To continue howling — like a wolf or dog that won't stop.

Meanings

1 C1 informal

To continue making loud cries, wails, or emotional outpourings without stopping.

"The child howled on for an hour after falling off his bike, despite being unhurt."

2 B2 neutral

Of the wind: to continue making a loud, mournful sound over a long period.

"The storm howled on through the night, rattling the windowpanes."

Usage notes

Relatively uncommon. Describes prolonged, unrestrained emotional vocalizing — sobbing, wailing, or angry shouting that goes on and on. Can be used of wind howling continuously. The 'on' emphasizes duration.

Commonly used with

wind dog child crowd grief

Forms

Base
howl on
I/you/we/they
3rd person
howls on
he/she/it
Past simple
howled on
yesterday
Past participle
howled on
have + pp
-ing form
howling on
continuous

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Synonyms

wail on cry on go on crying keen on sob on

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