shriek
noun
a loud, sharp, shrill cry.
was shrieking
-
past progressiveof shriek.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
The child was shrieking, his fingers were sticky, they brushed her cheek.
From Slate ● Jan. 29, 2022
It didn’t even matter that the construction crew had left behind a ladder and soda bottles in the living room, or that the fire alarm was shrieking a low-battery warning every 60 seconds.
From New York Times ● Sep. 20, 2021
“Every time we gather together in this temple,” he said, his voice rising, “this temple is beaming light across” — now he was shrieking — “the world!”
From New York Times ● Jul. 3, 2020
In other circumstances, I’ve been woken in the middle of the night because my phone was shrieking about a mis-calibrated blood sugar reading.
From Slate ● Sep. 7, 2017
"Your hair!" the mother was shrieking, pointing a quivering finger at her husband.
From "Matilda" by Roald Dahl
