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.
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
Prior to joining the Trump administration, she was known for her strident and uncompromising anti-war philosophy.
From Salon • Mar. 22, 2026
Indeed, the retreat of climate catastrophism has made room for a less strident but more sustainable climate realism, focused on innovation and the commercialization of low-carbon technologies.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 13, 2025
Sometimes he’s gotten called out for being too loud, too strident.
From Slate • Dec. 11, 2025
There were so many strident faceless people in uniform in the dining room with him.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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.
