shrieked; shrieking; shrieks
1
: to utter a sharp shrill sound
2
a
: to cry out in a high-pitched voice : screech
b
: to suggest such a cry (as by vividness of expression)
neon colors shrieked for attention—
Calvin Tomkins
Calvin Tomkins1
: to utter with a shriek
shriek an alarm
2
: to express in a manner suggestive of a shriek
1
: a shrill usually wild or involuntary cry
2
: a sound resembling a shriek
the shriek of chalk on the blackboard
Synonyms
Examples of shriek in a Sentence
Verb
The birds were shrieking in the trees.
She shrieked when she saw a mouse.
Noun
the shriek of the train's brakes
Recent Examples on the WebJesse Green, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2024
As darkness fully descended, the crowd shrieked and screamed and oohed and aahed.
—Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shriek 
Verb
The Schneider-Shultz romance is sweet and sad; neither character is called upon to shriek.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2024
As darkness fully descended, the crowd shrieked and screamed and oohed and aahed.
—Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shriek
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shriek.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near shriek
Cite this Entry
“Shriek.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shriek. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shriek
1 of 2 verb1
: to utter a sharp shrill cry
2
: to cry out in a high-pitched voice
shriek
2 of 2 noun
: a sharp shrill cry
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