squawk
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
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a loud, harsh cry or sound.
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Informal. a loud, vehement complaint.
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the black-crowned night heron. night heron
noun
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a loud raucous cry; screech
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informal a loud complaint or protest
verb
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to utter a squawk or with a squawk
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informal (intr) to complain loudly
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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squawksimple
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squawkssimple
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have squawkedperfect
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has squawkedperfect
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am squawkingprogressive
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are squawkingprogressive
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is squawkingprogressive
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have been squawkingperfect progressive
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has been squawkingperfect progressive
Past
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squawkedsimple
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had squawkedperfect
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was squawkingprogressive
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were squawkingprogressive
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had been squawkingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of squawk
Explanation
To squawk is to make a harsh screech, like the sound that a large bird might make. Your pet parrot might squawk until you give her treats to nibble on. The imitative word squawk first appeared in the 1800s, and around 1945, the term squawk box began to be used informally to mean "intercom or loudspeaker." Today, that term is primarily used by investors and brokers to mean "an intercom used to communicate stock deals." In addition to being the sound of an irritated bird, a squawk is also a complaint: "All he does is squawk about how hard his new job is."
Vocabulary lists containing squawk
Instead of "Said": Words That Sound Like What They Mean
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We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
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Unit 1, Words to Know
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hassett called the study “an embarrassment” and said the researchers behind it should be disciplined during an appearance on CNBC’s Squawk Box External link Wednesday.
From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026
Discovery chairman Samuel Di Piazza Jr. says on CNBC’s Squawk Box there is “nothing further from the truth” than claims that Warner is opposed to any agreement with Paramount, no matter the terms.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 7, 2026
During an interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box, McCarthy was asked whether Trump can win an election against Biden.
From Slate • Jun. 28, 2023
He is a co-anchor of CNBC’s "Squawk Box" and the author of “Too Big to Fail.”
From New York Times • May 24, 2023
But the Popinjay and the Squawk and the Redpecker departed without a word of thanks for all the food they had eaten and all the trouble they had caused.
From The Garden of the Plynck by Minard, Florence
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
