squeak
Americannoun
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squeaks
plural
-
a short, sharp, shrill cry; a sharp, high-pitched sound.
-
Informal. opportunity; chance.
their last squeak to correct the manuscript.
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an escape from defeat, danger, death, or destruction (usually qualified by narrow orclose ).
verb (used without object)
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squeaks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
squeaked,
past participle, past
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squeaking
present participle
-
to utter or emit a squeak or squeaky sound.
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Slang. to confess or turn informer; squeal.
verb (used with object)
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squeaks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
squeaked,
past participle, past
-
squeaking
present participle
verb phrase
noun
-
a short shrill cry or high-pitched sound
-
informal an escape (esp in the phrases narrow squeak , near squeak )
verb
-
to make or cause to make a squeak
-
(intr; usually foll by through or by) to pass with only a narrow margin
to squeak through an examination
-
informal (intr) to confess information about oneself or another
-
(tr) to utter with a squeak
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
squeaksimple
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squeakssimple
-
have squeakedperfect
-
has squeakedperfect
-
am squeakingprogressive
-
are squeakingprogressive
-
is squeakingprogressive
-
have been squeakingperfect progressive
-
has been squeakingperfect progressive
Past
-
squeakedsimple
-
had squeakedperfect
-
was squeakingprogressive
-
were squeakingprogressive
-
had been squeakingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of squeak
1350–1400; Middle English squeken, perhaps < Scandinavian; compare Swedish skväka to croak
Explanation
To squeak is to make a high, short sound. Your hungry pet mice squeak for food, and your creaky old wood floors squeak when you walk across them. A door with rusty hinges will squeak when you open it, and your own voice may squeak when you're nervous. There are also the squeaks that small animals make, and the squeak that means "any communication," like when you don't hear a squeak from your next door neighbor for so long you wonder if he moved away. Informally, to "squeak by" or "squeak through" means to just barely achieve something, by a narrow margin.
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:
They do not need to hurry anyone off the injured list so they can squeak out another National League West title.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
If there’s a severe drop in enthusiasm or an undervote, it might allow Hinojosa to squeak by.
From Slate ● Sep. 28, 2026
Maybe he can spend retirement time with Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales, who also resigned last month under a scandal cloud, but who managed to squeak past the five-year-minimum necessary to collect.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
A wild possum joined stuffed furry friends in an Australian airport gift shop this week, surprising travellers in an adorable case of hide and squeak.
From Barron's ● Mar. 19, 2026
I did as I was told, listening to the squeak of hangers on the rack while Miss Lacey riffled through the clothes.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
When the axle squeaks, as is happening in the 14th yet again, the rest of Los Angeles should watch out.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2024
Diving beneath a white cathedral of ice, I could hear the shrill whistles, honks, and squeaks of harp seals.
From National Geographic ● Jan. 23, 2024
These included grunts, whimpers, laughter, screams, hoos, barks, squeaks, and pant hoots.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2023
“This season is all about physical comedy and stupid sound effects — we put so many basketball sneaker squeaks in places where they don’t belong!”
From New York Times ● Apr. 28, 2023
The floor squeaks again, but they are still talking.
From "American Street" by Ibi Zoboi
I've not been impressed by Belgium, who squeaked their way to finish top of what was a pretty weak group.
From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026
The same day, the S&P 500 squeaked by with a 24.74-point, or almost 0.4%, gain that sent it to 6,796.29, for its best daily performance in a week.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 28, 2026
Consumer staples squeaked by at 6.5% versus 6.4%.
From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2025
It’s Eghbal — or “Peg Leg,” a nickname in honor of his prosthetic leg that squeaked whenever he moved.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2025
“Perhaps it’s from the same gentleman who wrote to you yesterday,” Margaret squeaked in a confidential tone.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
A walker wearing them is the equivalent of a grade-school violin player squeaking away on a Stradivarius.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
“Wuthering Heights” begins with a slowly intensifying squeaking noise, bellowing out over a blank black frame.
From Salon ● Feb. 14, 2026
Since Friday, investors have been moving back toward tech and other riskier assets, but with the Dow squeaking toward a record, it shows they aren’t abandoning things either.
From Barron's ● Feb. 10, 2026
Being very careful not to touch it, my husband moved the squeaking critter to a dog-free zone, in the hopes it would just flap away.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2025
No sound but the squeaking of the wheels on the cart and the fighting of two kids on Werfel’s gut.
From "The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge" by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
