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.
-
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
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have squawkedperfect
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has squawkedperfect 3rd person singular
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is squawkingprogressive 3rd person singular
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squawkssingular 3rd person
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are squawkingprogressive
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squawkingparticiple
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am squawkingprogressive 1st person singular
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have been squawkingperfect progressive
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has been squawkingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
Past
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had squawkedperfect
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squawkedparticiple
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were squawkingprogressive plural
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squawkedsimple
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was squawkingprogressive singular
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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.
It’s the show’s trademark exclamation, the involuntary squawk of the lucky person who’s just gotten something for nothing.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
But Mitchell is a team player, so in the end, Rapaport survives to squawk another day and probably complain about life’s unfairness over that evening’s pasta buffet.
From Salon • Jan. 15, 2026
"It's Americans who are going to squawk," said Prof Hampson.
From BBC • Aug. 1, 2025
It seems as if everything you’ve described about this class certification is just obviously correct, and I’m trying to figure out what the DOJ is going to squawk about.
From Slate • Jul. 11, 2025
“Snape!” he said, very loudly, and Fawkes gave a soft squawk behind them.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
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.
