howling

howling — adjective

1. describes wind that moves with great force and produces a continuous loud noise

1.形容詞B1
釋義

describes wind that moves with great force and produces a continuous loud noise as it passes through the air.

例句

The howling wind kept Gabriela awake all night.

collocation: howling wind

After a quick look outside, Eli chose to stay indoors during the howling storm.

同義詞
  • blustery

    suggests strong, gusty wind without always implying the same level of noise

  • roaring

    focuses more on the loud sound than the force of the wind

  • fierce

    emphasises the violent, dangerous quality rather than the sound

反義詞
  • calm

    describes wind that is gentle or absent

  • still

    means no wind at all

文法句型

howling + noun (wind, gale, storm)

常見錯誤

The howling wind made me cold.
The howling wind kept Gabriela awake all night.
💡The sense is about loud noise from strong wind, not just low temperature.

2. describes a dog, wolf, or similar animal that produces a long, loud, rising and

2.形容詞A2
釋義

describes a dog, wolf, or similar animal that produces a long, loud, rising and falling cry, often because it is lonely, hungry, or responding to a sound.

例句

A pack of howling wolves kept the campers awake near Yellowstone.

collocation: howling wolves

Sayaka heard a howling dog not far from her house and felt a shiver.

同義詞
  • baying

    specifically used for hounds when hunting, suggesting pursuit

  • wailing

    emphasises the sad, mournful quality of the cry

  • crying

    general term for any vocalisation, less precise for animal sounds

文法句型

howling + noun (dog, wolf, coyote)

用法筆記

Distinguish from barking: howling is a long, sustained cry, while barking consists of short, sharp sounds. Dogs often howl in response to sirens or other high-pitched noises.

常見錯誤

The howling dog barked at the mailman.
The dog started howling when it heard the siren.
💡Howling is a sustained cry, while barking is a series of short sharp sounds.

3. describes a group of people who are shouting loudly together, typically in anger

3.形容詞B1
釋義

describes a group of people who are shouting loudly together, typically in anger, excitement, or laughter.

例句

A howling crowd filled the stadium when Lauren scored the winning goal.

collocation: howling crowd

The howling audience demanded that the band play one more song.

同義詞
  • shouting

    more general, does not carry the wild or animal-like quality of 'howling'

  • roaring

    suggests a deep, loud sound from a crowd

  • screaming

    higher-pitched and more individual than 'howling'

反義詞

文法句型

howling + noun (crowd, mob, audience)

用法筆記

Almost always describes a crowd or large group rather than a single person. When used for an individual, it appears in the continuous verb form ('was howling with laughter') rather than as an attributive adjective.

常見錯誤

He was a howling man at the party.
The howling crowd cheered for the team.
💡Use 'howling' for groups of people, not for describing a single person as an adjective.

4. used before a noun to give strong emphasis, meaning extremely good or extremely

4.形容詞B2
釋義

used before a noun to give strong emphasis, meaning extremely good or extremely bad in a noticeable way — for example, a howling success (very successful) or a howling mistake (very bad and obvious).

例句

The play was a howling success, selling out every night for three months.

collocation: howling success

Choosing the wrong supplier turned out to be a howling mistake for the company.

collocation: howling mistake

同義詞
  • tremendous

    similar intensity, but neutral in tone and suitable for formal contexts

  • glaring

    used for negative things only, especially mistakes and injustices

  • colossal

    emphasises size or scale rather than intensity

反義詞
  • slight

    very small in degree

  • minor

    not important or serious

文法句型

howling + noun (success, mistake, lie, injustice)

用法筆記

Only used before a noun (attributive position) — never after a linking verb. You cannot say 'The mistake was howling'; you must say 'It was a howling mistake.'

常見錯誤

The movie was howling.
The movie was a howling success.
💡'Howling' in this sense must go before a noun; it cannot stand alone after a verb.

howling — noun