shout
Americanverb (used without object)
-
shouts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
shouted,
past participle, past
-
shouting
present participle
-
to call or cry out loudly and vigorously.
- Synonyms:
- exclaim, vociferate, yell
- Antonyms:
- whisper
-
to speak or laugh noisily or unrestrainedly.
verb (used with object)
-
shouts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
shouted,
past participle, past
-
shouting
present participle
-
to utter or yell (something) loudly.
-
Australian. to treat (another) to a drink, meal, amusement, or the like.
noun
-
shouts
plural
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a loud call or cry.
He gave a shout for help.
-
a sudden loud outburst, as of laughter.
-
the act of calling or crying out loudly.
noun
-
a loud cry, esp to convey emotion or a command
-
informal
-
a round, esp of drinks
-
one's turn to buy a round of drinks
-
-
informal a greeting (to family, friends, etc) sent to a radio station for broadcasting
-
informal an occasion on which the members of an emergency service are called out on duty
verb
-
to utter (something) in a loud cry; yell
-
(intr) to make a loud noise
-
informal (tr) to treat (someone) to (something), esp a drink
Synonym Usage
See cry.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
shoutsimple
-
shoutssimple
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have shoutedperfect
-
has shoutedperfect
-
am shoutingprogressive
-
are shoutingprogressive
-
is shoutingprogressive
-
have been shoutingperfect progressive
-
has been shoutingperfect progressive
Past
-
shoutedsimple
-
had shoutedperfect
-
was shoutingprogressive
-
were shoutingprogressive
-
had been shoutingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of shout
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English shoute (noun), shouten (verb); compare Old Norse skūta “to scold, chide,” skūti, skūta “a taunt”
Explanation
When you shout, you speak or call out loudly. If you get trapped in the coat closet during a game of hide-and-seek, just shout for help — you'll be set free, but you'll also be "it." Sometimes people shout simply because they have a booming speaking voice; you might hold your phone far from your ear when you call your grandma, who tends to shout. You can also shout in anger or fear or even joy: "My cousin jumped up with a happy shout when I surprised him at his birthday party." Experts disagree on the origin of shout, but some guess it's connected to shoot, as in "throw the voice out loudly."
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:
Linda Cardellini knew something was up when a random stranger would shout “Strawberry Breeze!” as she was crossing the street.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
"I've never done a home champs before so to have the crowd shout 'Abbie Donnelly' was an incredible experience."
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
If reading this makes you want to shout “denier,” this column is for you.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
If the porter is locked in, however, then that shout might not be heard.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
“You have to tell the truth before it’s too late,” the voice says one last time, and then, in a final insistent shout: “Brightwood.”
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
At the end, the entire block shouts the only lyric required.
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026
"Leave now!" shouts an understandably irritable officer as he drives past.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
He received a hero’s welcome in Hostage Square in Tel Aviv after forging a tenuous Gaza ceasefire last October, visibly moved as he was drowned out by appreciative shouts of “Thank you, Witkoff!”
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026
There were shouts of treason, but Gen. Washington intervened on Willing’s behalf, calling him a “worthy, well-disposed man.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
But before we can sit down, Marcy shouts: “I get to sit next to her. Me!”
From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko
At the start of the partial eclipse, when the Moon began to cover the Sun at around 17.30 GMT, some people shouted "Wow!" eager to see what would unfold.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
“A friend texted me that Anthony Jeselnik, a comedian whom I loved — but had never met nor interacted with — shouted out his love of my memoir, ‘Dirtbag, Massachusetts,’ on his podcast.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
Chey offered to pay everybody’s tab at the packed restaurant, and the crowd shouted “SK! SK!”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
As Lewis left court, the family of Ross brandished a framed photograph the dead woman, and shouted at him: "Darcy Ross, remember her name."
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
The spectators rooted for the people at the back of the pack just as much as they shouted for the ones that shot out in front.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
One man pushed past me with a backpack, shouting agitatedly about fried chicken.
From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2026
Then two neighbors began, ironically, shouting outside my window about which of them was less considerate about the amount of noise they made.
From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026
“Then there was a second explosion. I tried to open the door, but it was blocked. I started shouting from the window for help.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
One Orthodox protester, engaged in a shouting match with a counter-demonstrator, said he had chosen to live in a religious area.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
"Three weeks and I'll be back," my father said, still shouting, swinging an arm to show them how strong he was.
From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell
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.
