strident
Americanadjective
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making or having a harsh sound; grating; creaking.
strident insects; strident hinges.
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having a shrill, irritating quality or character.
a strident tone in his writings.
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Linguistics. (in distinctive feature analysis) characterized acoustically by noise of relatively high intensity, as sibilants, labiodental and uvular fricatives, and most affricates.
adjective
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(of a shout, voice, etc) having or making a loud or harsh sound
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urgent, clamorous, or vociferous
strident demands
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of strident
1650–60; < Latin strīdent- (stem of strīdēns ), present participle of strīdēre to make a harsh noise; see -ent
Explanation
Something that's strident is loud, grating, and obnoxious. Your roommate's strident laughter as he watches cartoons late into the night might inspire you to buy a pair of ear plugs. Strident is related to the Latin word strix, meaning "screech owl." This is a kind of owl that doesn't hoot. It screeches in a strident way. Strident can also describe the forceful expression of an unpopular opinion. Don't confuse strident with striding, which means walking quickly with a wide step. If you're angry at your brother, you might come striding into his room and begin making a strident case for why he has done you wrong.
Vocabulary lists containing strident
Lord of the Flies
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A Raisin in the Sun
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Grade 12, List 2
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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.
As germane and revealing as her discussions of deaf history and political inequality are, however, they can become repetitious and sometimes strident.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
Once a fierce campaigner for Taiwan's independence, Cheng Li-wun, 56, is now a strident supporter of closer ties with China and believes a rapprochement with Beijing is key to cross-strait peace.
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
Gabbard’s testimony was of particular interest because, prior to joining the Trump administration, she was known for her strident and uncompromising anti-war philosophy.
From Salon • Mar. 22, 2026
His strident nationalism over the border conflict with Cambodia, his staunch support for the army and his intense loyalty to King Vajiralongkorn all defined him clearly as the standard-bearer for Thai conservatism.
From BBC • Feb. 9, 2026
At the table on his left the man with the strident voice was still talking remorselessly away.
From "1984" by George Orwell
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.
