screech

noun \ ˈskrēch \

|Updated on: 8 Aug 2018

Examples: screech in a Sentence

Definition of screech

1 : a high shrill piercing cry usually expressing pain or terror

2 : a sound resembling a screech

See screech defined for English-language learners

See screech defined for kids

Examples of screech in a Sentence

With a loud screech, she smashed the plate against the wall.

Recent Examples of screech from the Web

The door swung open with a clunk and a screech, and cold clean air rushed into his lungs like the first breath after a storm.

— andrew liptak, The Verge, "A transgender girl rises up against alien invaders in Rich Larson’s novel Annex," 8 July 2018
But the visualization shows the midsection buzz transforming into a more piercing screech to overcome the pump’s din.

— hiroko tabuchi, New York Times, "Near Noisy Oil Fields, Lovesick Birds Change Their Tunes," 13 Mar. 2018
Houses and buildings in Dogtown are wrapped in scaffolding, and the whirring screech of power saws every morning can substitute for an alarm clock.

— otis r. taylor jr., San Francisco Chronicle, "In Oakland, this is gentrification when it knocks on your door," 19 Apr. 2018
Marco Beltrami’s score is fairly traditional for the genre, combining mechanical screeches with strings and a deep threatening bass.

— josephine livingstone, The New Republic, "Sight and Silence," 11 Apr. 2018
The official sound of the 2018 Winter Olympics is quickly becoming the screech of emergency alerts on people's cellphones.

— author: andrew keh, Anchorage Daily News, "This is not a drill: Emergency cellphone alerts at the Winter Games become annoying," 14 Feb. 2018
Growly, subterranean pedal points and eerie screeches signal the three murders, evoked in animated silhouette by Nichols’ artfully gruesome projections.

— john von rhein, chicagotribune.com, "Chicago Opera Theater's 'Elizabeth Cree' is a bloody good show," 11 Feb. 2018
Even Thom Weaver’s blindingly white set alienates, and Chris Sannino’s sound design agitates with quiet, low electronic tones that underscore scenes with a drone or screech.

— jim rutter, Philly.com, "'Really' at Theatre Exile: A play in search of excitement," 1 Feb. 2018
The tower's steel girders shivered and, with a mighty screech, bent in two.

— the oregonian/oregonlive, OregonLive.com, "Clarence Beavers, last of the original Triple Nickles, dies," 29 Dec. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'screech.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of screech

1560

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

screech

verb

Definition of screech

screeched; screeching; screeches

intransitive verb

1 : to utter a high shrill piercing cry : make an outcry usually in terror or pain

2 : to make a shrill high-pitched sound resembling a screech; also : to move with such a sound

the car screeched to a stop

transitive verb

: to utter with or as if with a screech

—

screecher

noun

See screech defined for English-language learners

Examples of screech in a Sentence

I screeched when I saw the mouse.
He kept screeching at the children to pay attention.
“You can't do this to me!” she screeched.

Recent Examples of screech from the Web

Then another plane came screeching down the runway, and the process began again.

— julia sclafani and jordan cutler-tietjen, sacbee, "Seen those tankers above Sacramento? The low-down on Cal Fire's biggest base at McClellan," 3 July 2018
Play screeched to a halt in Arkansas’ eight-run sixth, when Longhorns Coach David Pierce needed six pitchers throwing 62 pitches to record three outs.

— pat borzi, New York Times, "Pace of Play Problems Plague College Baseball, Too," 25 June 2018
Cosials screeches over her like a kitten, sweet but menacing.

— eve barlow, GQ, "15 Hours With Hinds, Spain's Wildest Rock Band," 25 June 2018
Half a minute later, an ambulance screeched to a halt in front of the alley entrance, the flashing red lights filling the alley with chaotic motion as Lenny woke up screaming.

— wesley snipes, The Root, "Talon of God," 27 May 2018
On a rainy Monday morning my wonky doorbell screeches.

— lara b. sharp, Longreads, "A Tiny Scar, From Falling," 21 May 2018
In the coming years, many more Americans may see recycling programs screech to a halt.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "China’s Plastic Ban Will Flood Us With Trash," 21 June 2018
Fights, screeching tires and the unmistakable sound of gunfire kept many residents indoors, especially at night.

— evan sernoffsky, San Francisco Chronicle, "A safer San Francisco debates whether to get rid of gang injunctions," 28 Apr. 2018
In 2016, her study on dinosaur vocalizations found that unlike the dramatic roars and screeches we’re familiar with, large dinosaurs probably made low booming and cooing noises.

— National Geographic, "Why T. Rex Couldn't Waggle Its Tongue," 20 June 2018

Origin and Etymology of screech

alteration of earlier scritch, from Middle English scrichen; akin to Old Norse skrækja to screech

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1577

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

screech Synonyms

SCREECH Defined for English Language Learners

screech

noun

Definition of screech for English Language Learners

: a loud and very high cry that usually expresses extreme pain, anger, or fear
: a loud and very high sound

screech

verb

Definition of screech for English Language Learners

: to cry out or shout in a loud and very high voice because of extreme pain, anger, fear, etc.
: to make a loud and very high sound

SCREECH Defined for Kids

screech

verb \ ˈskrēch \

Definition of screech for Students

screeched; screeching

1 : to make a high-pitched harsh sound

2 : to utter with a high-pitched harsh sound

3 : to cry out in a loud, high-pitched way (as in terror or pain)

screech

noun

Definition of screech for Students

1 : a high-pitched harsh cry

the screech of an owl

2 : a high-pitched harsh sound

the screech of brakes

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screech

Definition of screech

Examples of screech in a Sentence

Recent Examples of screech from the Web

First Known Use of screech

screech

Definition of screech

screecher

Examples of screech in a Sentence

Recent Examples of screech from the Web

Origin and Etymology of screech

screech Synonyms

Synonyms

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SCREECH Defined for English Language Learners

screech

Definition of screech for English Language Learners

screech

Definition of screech for English Language Learners

SCREECH Defined for Kids

screech

Definition of screech for Students

screech

Definition of screech for Students

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