squeaky
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of squeaky
Explanation
If your voice is squeaky, it's high and a little shrill, like a cartoon character. If your shoes sound squeaky when you walk, you'll never be able to sneak up on someone. It's hard for people to take you seriously if you always sound a little squeaky when you talk. Squishy, noise-making dog toys are squeaky, and so is Mickey Mouse's voice, as well as the rusty hinge on an old treasure chest. If something's squeaky clean, it's so immaculate that it squeaks a little — this phrase probably started in the 1970s in advertisements for dishwashing soap.
Vocabulary lists containing squeaky
"Raymond's Run"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Fish in a Tree
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
“As a councilmember, your role is to be a squeaky wheel.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
Credit funds are definitely the squeaky wheel of the private-asset industry right now.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026
You sell a house at the price you believe will benefit all siblings, not just one sibling who has mastered the art of being a squeaky wheel.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 19, 2026
She's never spoken about it before, worried about damaging her "squeaky clean" image.
From BBC • Sep. 23, 2025
When he went round to the only window, he could hear, after a second or two, the familiar noise of the old fisherman's squeaky snore.
From "The Horse and His Boy" by C.S. Lewis
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.
