shrill

American  

[shril] / ʃrɪl /

adjective

shriller, shrillest

1. high-pitched and piercing in sound quality.

   a shrill cry.

2. producing such a sound.

3. full of or characterized by such a sound.

   shrill music.

4. betraying some strong emotion or attitude in an exaggerated amount, as antagonism or defensiveness.

5. marked by great intensity; keen.

   the shrill, incandescent light of the exploding bomb.

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verb (used with or without object)

1. to cry shrilly.

noun

1. a shrill sound.

adverb

1. in a shrill manner; shrilly.

shrill British  

/ ʃrɪl /

adjective

1. sharp and high-pitched in quality

2. emitting a sharp high-pitched sound

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verb

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

2. rare (tr) to cause to produce a shrill sound

Other Word Forms

• outshrill
  verb (used with object)
• shrillness
  noun
• shrilly
  adverb
• unshrill
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of shrill

1300–50; Middle English shrille (adj., v.); akin to Old English scrallettan to sound loudly; cognate with German schrill (adj.), schrillen (v.); compare Old Norse skrīll rabble

Explanation

A shrill sound is high pitched and sharp, like the squeak of the mouse in your cupboard or the sound of your “eek” when you hear it. Closer to a shriek than a trill, a shrill tone is one that might make you cover your ears, usually because the tone is so high and sharp. A high pitched voice, a classroom of excited first graders, or the sound of chalk scraping the board can all be shrill, as can a color or light that looks as sharp and intense as a shrill tone sounds.

Example Sentences

Shrill whistles mixed with drums, tambourines and the clacking of spoons on pots as public employees shut down streets in Puerto Rico’s capital, San Juan, on Friday to demand better pay and pensions.

From Washington Post • Feb. 18, 2022

Hulu's "Shrill" sees another "SNL" cast member – Aidy Bryant – star as Annie Easton, a Pacific Northwest journalist who is working to establish her identity while fighting societal norms surrounding body image.

From Fox News • Sep. 16, 2021

Season 2 of "Shrill" ended with Annie making the bold decision to break up with Ryan.

From Salon • May 8, 2021

Lindy told me that she was allowed to pick one of several people who would join the Shrill writers’ room that summer in Los Angeles, and she wanted that person to be me.

From The Guardian • Mar. 14, 2020

Shrill boat whistles echoed in my ears as I searched the crowded platform, my fingers numb from clutching my placard so tightly.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Related Words

• deafening
• discordant
• earsplitting
• noisy
• piercing
• raucous
• sharp
• strident