MEANING
To produce a prolonged, wavering howl or high-pitched vocal cry.
Use it for
A sustained unnatural cry; shifting vocal pitch; a chorus beyond ordinary speechUse for a prolonged patterned cry, not an isolated sharp scream.
Words that belong together
- ululating cry
- ululate in grief
- voices ululated
On the page
The unseen animal ululated until the windows vibrated.
Several mourners ululated as the procession reached the grave.
The creature's three throats ululated at different pitches.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- ululate / ululates
- Past tense
- ululated
- Past participle
- ululated
- Present participle
- ululating
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- ululate / ululates
- Present continuous
- am/is/are ululating
- Present perfect
- have/has ululated
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been ululating
- Past
- ululated
- Past continuous
- was/were ululating
- Past perfect
- had ululated
- Past perfect continuous
- had been ululating
- Future
- will ululate / ululates
- Future continuous
- will be ululating
- Future perfect
- will have ululated
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been ululating
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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Usage notes
Primary category: horror. Uncommon literary verb; may describe mourning, celebration, or a ritual vocalization, not inherently menace. Avoid treating a real cultural practice as monstrous. Verb [base, third-person present, past, past participle, -ing]: ululate, ululates, ululated, ululated, ululating. Derived/related family (not inflections): ululation (noun).
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