squawk

1 of 2

verb

ˈskwȯk 

squawked; squawking; squawks

intransitive verb

1

: to utter a harsh abrupt scream

2

: to complain or protest loudly or vehemently

opponents of the bill squawked

squawker noun

squawk

2 of 2

noun

1

: a harsh abrupt scream

2

: a noisy complaint

Synonyms

Verb

• beef
• bellyache
• bitch
• bleat
• carp
• caterwaul
• complain
• crab
• croak
• fuss
• gripe
• grizzle
• grouch
• grouse
• growl
• grumble
• grump
• holler
• inveigh
• keen
• kick
• kvetch
• maunder [chiefly British]
• moan
• murmur
• mutter
• nag
• repine
• scream
• squeal
• wail
• whimper
• whine
• whinge [British]
• yammer
• yawp
• yaup
• yowl

Noun

• beef
• bitch
• bleat
• carp
• complaint
• fuss
• grievance
• gripe
• grouch
• grouse
• grumble
• holler
• kvetch
• lament
• miserere
• moan
• murmur
• plaint
• wail
• whimper
• whine
• whinge [British]
• yammer

Examples of squawk in a Sentence

Verb

The customers squawked about the high prices.

Opponents of the project have been squawking.

Noun

if we don't receive any squawks, we can assume the change was acceptable

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Those choices included a squawking Australian accent that Hemsworth likened to a chatty sea gull, as well as a prosthetic nose partly selected to scramble the audience’s expectations of what Hemsworth can deliver as an actor. —Kyle Buchanan, New York Times, 16 May 2024

The other featured a duck squawking out the ungainly acronym that gave Aflac its name. —Maria Aspan, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

probably blend of squall and squeak

First Known Use

Verb

1821, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1850, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing squawk

• squawk box

Kids Definition

squawk

1 of 2 verb

ˈskwȯk 

1

: to utter a harsh short scream

2

: to complain or protest loudly or forcefully

students squawked about the new dress code

squawker noun

squawk

2 of 2 noun

1

: a harsh short scream

2

: a noisy complaint