strident
Americanadjective
-
making or having a harsh sound; grating; creaking.
strident insects; strident hinges.
-
having a shrill, irritating quality or character.
a strident tone in his writings.
-
Linguistics. (in distinctive feature analysis) characterized acoustically by noise of relatively high intensity, as sibilants, labiodental and uvular fricatives, and most affricates.
adjective
-
(of a shout, voice, etc) having or making a loud or harsh sound
-
urgent, clamorous, or vociferous
strident demands
Other Word Forms
- nonstrident adjective
- overstridence noun
- overstridency noun
- overstrident adjective
- overstridently adverb
- stridence noun
- stridency noun
- stridently adverb
- unstrident adjective
- unstridently adverb
Etymology
Origin of strident
1650–60; < Latin strīdent- (stem of strīdēns ), present participle of strīdēre to make a harsh noise; -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
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!
A Raisin in the Sun
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!
Grade 12, List 2
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.
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
Just because the strident crunch of Freya Ridings' recent singles conjures up images of a medieval army riding into battle, that doesn't mean she's a warrior queen blessed with bottomless self-confidence.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
Far from Minnesota, a cadre of Silicon Valley scientists and founders were more strident.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026
Sometimes he’s gotten called out for being too loud, too strident.
From Slate • Dec. 11, 2025
“Why the devil did he cheat me?” he demanded in his high strident voice, and for the first time looked straight at me.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
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.
