scream
Americanverb (used without object)
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screams,
present (3rd person singular)
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screamed,
past participle, past
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screaming
present participle
-
to utter a loud, sharp, piercing cry.
-
to emit a shrill, piercing sound.
The sirens and whistles screamed.
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to laugh immoderately or uncontrollably.
The comedian had the audience screaming.
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to shout or speak shrilly, especially with harsh or exaggerated words.
They screamed across the back fence.
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to play or sing in a high, loud, harsh manner.
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to be conspicuous or startling.
That red dress really screams.
verb (used with object)
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screams,
present (3rd person singular)
-
screamed,
past participle, past
-
screaming
present participle
-
to utter with or as if with a loud, piercing cry.
His patience exhausted, he screamed the instructions to the class.
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to bring (oneself) to a specified condition by loud and shrill shouts or cries.
We screamed ourselves hoarse at the concert.
verb
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to utter or emit (a sharp piercing cry or similar sound or sounds), esp as of fear, pain, etc
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(intr) to laugh wildly
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(intr) to speak, shout, or behave in a wild or impassioned manner
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(tr) to bring (oneself) into a specified state by screaming
she screamed herself hoarse
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(intr) to be extremely conspicuous
these orange curtains scream, you need more restful colours in a bedroom
noun
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a sharp piercing cry or sound, esp one denoting fear or pain
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informal a person or thing that causes great amusement
Synonym Usage
Scream, shriek, screech apply to crying out in a loud, piercing way. To scream is to utter a loud, piercing cry, especially of pain, fear, anger, or excitement: to scream with terror. The word is used also for a little, barely audible cry given by one who is startled. Shriek usually refers to a sharper and briefer cry than scream; when caused by fear or pain, it is often indicative of more terror or distress; shriek is also used for shrill uncontrolled cries: to shriek with laughter. Screech emphasizes disagreeable shrillness and harshness, often with a connotation of lack of dignity: to screech approval at a rock concert.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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screamsimple
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screamssimple
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have screamedperfect
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has screamedperfect
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am screamingprogressive
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are screamingprogressive
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is screamingprogressive
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have been screamingperfect progressive
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has been screamingperfect progressive
Past
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screamedsimple
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had screamedperfect
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was screamingprogressive
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were screamingprogressive
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had been screamingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of scream
First recorded in 1150–1200; 1905–10 scream for def. 11; Middle English screamen (verb), (unattested) Old English scrǣman; akin to Old Norse skraumi “chatterbox, braggart,” skruma “to jabber”; sc- (for regular sh- as in Middle English shreame ) from obsolete scritch “to screech” ( see screech
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.
See Examples For:
Even the brief imitation of Lennon’s “losing control” scream is laser-precise, meant to boost the song’s momentum and carry it through a cheery and lazy surf solo.
From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026
A front tyre had blown on the car and Hammond said in his post that he did not scream during the ensuing crash.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
Regan described the encounter as a conversation and said he did not scream at Li.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
So on Friday, the headline will scream energy and the core will whisper calm.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026
“I’ll free you, but you have to promise you won’t scream and you won’t run.”
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
I heard the screams of cybersecurity professionals ringing in my ears.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
When Megan asked, "Whose first concert is this?" the air curdled with screams.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
She screams into the receiver, “Can anyone hear me?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
During the peak of the chaos, Veerappan heard screams every night from neighbors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
Startled awake by the lechuzas’ bloodcurdling screams, Pita sat up and screamed almost as loudly as the winged witches.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
As the sirens screamed again at the central market in Boryspil, Dmyterko pushed her own shopping trolley without looking up.
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
She said nothing about his age, but instead screamed, “Allie! He’s the ‘Top That’ guy!”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
“Take the money, Sly!” the smart half of my brain screamed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
“FREE TICKETS,” screamed a text message sent out to people on a RNC donor list.
From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2026
Jeremy screamed and flung himself across the bed, causing the dragon to flutter into the air.
From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville
Their constant screaming and yelling is a feature of the play’s meta-satire.
From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026
Its long fences, with relatively small openings, are not exactly screaming “come in.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
"There was a woman, she was screaming for help to get her out of the rubble. She was having trouble breathing and told us that there are more people over there," the 30-year-old told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
Half-way through the rehearsal, a group of screaming girls tried to climb the garden wall.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
A squadron of French fighter jets came screaming from Zeke’s kneecap.
From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness
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.
