squawk
Americanverb (used without object)
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squawks,
present (3rd person singular)
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squawked,
past participle, past
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squawking
present participle
verb (used with object)
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squawks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
squawked,
past participle, past
-
squawking
present participle
noun
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squawks
plural
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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
-
a loud raucous cry; screech
-
informal a loud complaint or protest
verb
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to utter a squawk or with a squawk
-
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
-
have been squawkingperfect progressive
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has been squawkingperfect progressive
Past
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squawkedsimple
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had squawkedperfect
-
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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Unit 1, Words to Know
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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:
Economists might applaud, but elderly voters will squawk.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 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
Since this show came out, now people squawk chicken noises at me in the street.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2024
Chubs let out a noise that could only be described as a squawk and just about flew into the front passenger seat.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
We also passed dense stands of thick-leaved yerba santa, California buckwheat, sugar bush and chilicothe vines and we were treated to the squawks of California scrub jays and a red-tail hawk flying overhead.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 4, 2026
A laptop on the center console dings like a supermarket scanner every time license-plate readers attached to the truck capture another car’s tag—and the computer squawks when it spots a possible repo candidate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2025
The honks and squawks of ibises and louries - shuffling silhouettes in the leafless trees.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2023
Here, it’s called Stickipoo — and if its robotic squawks and light-saber glow appear on loan from George Lucas, that’s only fair.
From New York Times ● Aug. 17, 2023
"Pretty, pretty, pretty bird," Jay squawks, making us all chuckle.
From "Born Behind Bars" by Padma Venkatraman
Airnav Radar reported that the BA Airbus A321 squawked the 7700 emergency code, which is used when there are mechanical or technical problems on board aircraft.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
Some of them squawked about the slush fund in ways that took me by surprise.
From Slate ● Jun. 9, 2026
Parrots and macaws that had outlived their owners squawked in a giant aviary.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026
Molting peacocks squawked in the distance and a Pacific breeze whispered through the eucalyptus as flamingo keeper Liz Gibbons tidied her station at the San Francisco Zoo.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2025
The knuckleskull reared back, almost throwing the lot of them, squawked once, and then wobbled off.
From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older
Who can blame the infant, even one so tender and mild, for squawking during his circumcision?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 26, 2026
In the ocean-side city of Gloucester, about an hour north of Boston, the sharp smell of salt air has been undercut by the lingering funk of rotting garbage, and squawking seagulls circle overhead.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2025
Massry runs from the front of the store to the back, walkie-talkie on his waist squawking as employees request help at the registers.
From Slate ● Oct. 26, 2024
But only in the careful hands of scientists who don’t have Musk squawking “go faster!” over their shoulders.
From Salon ● Feb. 11, 2024
As it disappeared around a bend, we could still hear the squawking of the gosling.
From "Homeless Bird" by Gloria Whelan
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
