as in to shriek
to cry out loudly and emotionally
the mud-splattered bystanders were shrilling with outrage at the inconsiderate motorist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in shrieking
having a high musical pitch or range
the shrill sound of a policeman's whistle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shrill
Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2022
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s increasingly shrill brand of Hindu nationalism has inflamed religious animosity within the country.
—Sadanand Dhume, WSJ, 9 June 2022
Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2025
He’s gone up higher for other roles before, like his shrill turn as a rotten southern preacher in The Devil All the Time and his sassy French accent in The King.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025
Vulture, 3 Apr. 2022
The shrill, yet welcome, sound of children’s laughter fills the air.
—Essence, 23 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for shrill
Verb
This device is very loud and shrill when operating.
—Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2022
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s increasingly shrill brand of Hindu nationalism has inflamed religious animosity within the country.
—Sadanand Dhume, WSJ, 9 June 2022
Adjective
There are many reasons to visit New Orleans, from po' boys filled with heaps of fried shrimp spilling out of pillowy soft French bread, the shrill trills of brass trumpets, and the constant bustle of revelers across the city.
—Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2025
He’s gone up higher for other roles before, like his shrill turn as a rotten southern preacher in The Devil All the Time and his sassy French accent in The King.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025
Noun
Harris guest-starred on Seinfeld for 27 episodes as the shrill Estelle Costanza, opposite Jerry Stiller as George’s father, Frank Costanza.
—Vulture, 3 Apr. 2022
The shrill, yet welcome, sound of children’s laughter fills the air.
—Essence, 23 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for shrill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrill
Verb
-
Inside a Mexico City shopping mall, fans began shrieking.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
-
Cate Blanchett is relatively subdued as Cinderella’s wicked stepmother, with her shrieking stepsisters picking up most of the slack.—
Josh Bell,
Vulture,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
After a mug crashes to the floor, Belinda sprints off to a forest and screams.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
24 May 2025
-
What To Know Video footage circulating on social media, as well as some published by Al-Jazeera, showed houses and cars ablaze, as screams were heard in the background.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 May 2025
Verb
-
When Ronaldo Jr went to warm up with his fellow subs behind the goal, the local kids all sprinted off in that direction and yelled and squealed ‘Cristiano’ or ‘Junior’ in the lad’s direction.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
-
These include pulsing, buzzing, squealing, clicking, chirping, roaring, humming, whistling, hissing and rushing.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
But their magnum opus was 1978’s Dub Housing, where Thomas shows off his collection of animal noises, grunts, yelps, and screeches, up to his neck in industrial synth-and-guitar factory noise.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
25 Apr. 2025
-
His grandson toddled over, climbed into his lap, accepted a kiss with a screech of delight, and scooted off again.—
Ben Ehrenreich,
Harpers Magazine,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
One of dancehall’s biggest stars who had collaborated with artists such as Busta Rhymes and Fat Joe, Buju Banton’s career came to a screeching halt in 2009 when he was arrested in Sarasota and convicted in 2011.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
22 May 2025
-
Events like fires, floods, snowstorms, hurricanes and tornadoes can bring companies to a screeching halt by damaging facilities and even jeopardizing employees' lives.—
Niki Jorgensen,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
Noun
-
Overall, their squeaks were more complex, and the squeaking patterns became more intricate.—
Margherita Bassi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
28 Feb. 2025
-
As the birds practiced, their initial random squeaks gradually turned into melodies that closely matched their parents’ songs.—
Jenny Lehmann,
Discover Magazine,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Another wrong impression involves Morrison’s voice, which seems excited and high-pitched.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2025
-
The Nashville singer-songwriter waited a full day with the high-pitched, pulsing sound before calling her doctor to check her ears.—
Adrianna Rodriguez,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Throughout the flight, excited reactions and yelps could be heard from the crew over the live stream's audio feed.—
Rachel Chang,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Apr. 2025
-
But their magnum opus was 1978’s Dub Housing, where Thomas shows off his collection of animal noises, grunts, yelps, and screeches, up to his neck in industrial synth-and-guitar factory noise.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
25 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shrill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrill. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share