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
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 Web
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
Been there, shrieked at that — but give the Normans credit for leaning into the mean-spirited spirit of the endeavor with some groan- and cheer-worthy fatalities, including a POV shot from the perspective of a witch’s broomstick.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
Alison Willmore, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
All the time the shrieks in the distance.
—Sara Stridsberg
september 15, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shriek
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
Guadagnino encourages our doubts, shooting Maggie in exaggerated horror-movie closeups set to the doomy bass notes and shrieking winds of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s score.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
Been there, shrieked at that — but give the Normans credit for leaning into the mean-spirited spirit of the endeavor with some groan- and cheer-worthy fatalities, including a POV shot from the perspective of a witch’s broomstick.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
But that doesn’t give a sense of how absorbingly otherworldly the film is, with its wordless beginnings and its shriek of a score from Jonny Greenwood.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
All the time the shrieks in the distance.
—Sara Stridsberg
september 15, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shriek
Cite this Entry
“Shriek.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shriek. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share