shriek

American  

[shreek] / ʃrik /

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.

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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 British  

/ ʃriːk /

noun

1. a shrill and piercing cry

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verb

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

Related Words

See scream.

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of shriek

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

Example Sentences

Katherine shrieked and then she giggled and then she pounded her fists against Jonah’s chest.

From Literature

But when I got to college and fell madly in love for the first time, I was primed for the Kate Bush version of “Wuthering Heights,” an avant-garde musical number, all shrieks and pleading.

From Los Angeles Times

Lily shrieks in protest and drums her bare feet against my shins.

From Literature

Sometimes his sister, Anastasia, got so mad that she shrieked when Sam said no.

From Literature

The girls were shrieking and gagging at the smell, and Miss Collins let us off school early.

From Literature

Related Words

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