shriek

[shreek]

noun

1. a loud, sharp, shrill cry.

   Synonyms: screech, scream

2. a loud, high sound of laughter.

3. any loud, shrill sound, as of a whistle.

verb (used without object)

1. to utter a loud, sharp, shrill cry, as birds.

2. to cry out sharply in a high voice.

   to shriek with pain.

   Synonyms: screech, scream

3. to utter loud, high-pitched sounds in laughing.

4. (of a musical instrument, a whistle, the wind, etc.) to give forth a loud, shrill sound.

verb (used with object)

1. to utter in a shriek.

   to shriek defiance.

shriek

/ ʃriːk /

noun

1. a shrill and piercing cry

verb

1. to produce or utter (words, sounds, etc) in a shrill piercing tone

Other Word Forms

• shrieker noun
• shriekingly adverb
• shrieky adjective
• outshriek verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of shriek¹

First recorded in 1560–70; earlier shrick, northern variant of shritch (now dialect), Middle English schrichen, back formation from Old English scriccettan; akin to shrike

Word History and Origins

Origin of shriek¹

C16: probably from Old Norse skrækja to _screech ¹

Synonym Study

See scream.

Example Sentences

At Mount SAC, for instance, classrooms have high-tech mannequins that can be programmed to blink, shriek and simulate a variety of medical conditions, including heart attacks, bleeding, respiratory failure — even giving birth.

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Jaramillo danced with such energy that his pants ripped while he and the others scooted across the stage on their behinds, drawing delighted shrieks from the hometown crowd.

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As one plane after another shrieked across the cloudless sky, jet-shaped shadows raced across the pavement, alongside cars.

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On the walk to the memorial, an angry driver seemingly got into an argument with an attendee, and drove through the path of the crowd, eliciting shrieks from the crowd.

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About an hour before tip‑off, Clark entered the arena to a wave of shrieks.

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Related Words

• howl 
• screech 
• squawk 
• squeal 
• wail 
• whoop