Howler/ˈhaʊlər/ Definition 1 of 3Pro Tip 1/3Informal Tone Use 'howler' for mistakes in casual conversation or informal writing, not in formal contexts. I made a howler on my tweet yesterday. Pro Tip 2/3Sports Commentary 'Howler' is often used in sports to describe a very bad mistake, like in soccer or cricket. The defender committed a howler that cost them the match. Pro Tip 3/3Avoid Overuse Reserve 'howler' for truly significant mistakes to maintain its impact and meaning. Forgetting the password was a howler.