: distressingly or painfully loud : earsplitting                                      
              
                             … there was an ear-shattering blast of trumpets, entirely off key …— Norton Juster,                The Phantom Tollbooth,                1961
Norton Juster,                The Phantom Tollbooth,                1961                                        … the sound was an ear-shattering screech, like a freight train highballing with a partially locked brake.— Alexander Stuart,                Fortune,                3 May 1982
Alexander Stuart,                Fortune,                3 May 1982                                        … delivered an ear-shattering performance that inspired fans to hurl themselves violently at the stage.— People Weekly, 7 Sept. 1987
People Weekly, 7 Sept. 1987                          
                
                     
            
   
                   
             
                    
                        
        
        
        
                
                
                
        
                
     
    
                                                    
                                                                                                                                                
            
                                    
                        
                                                    
                                
                       
                                        
                
                                                
                            
            
                                    
                                    
                        
                                            
                                                            
                                    
                                                                
                                
                                    
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
                                        
                                                    
                            
                                                               
                                                
  
  Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!
  Merriam-Webster unabridged
 
                          
                    
Share