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
Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
But Shea is still the ultimate image of fan hysteria — a massive swarm of Beatlemaniacs gathered together for a night of communal rapture, bonded in music, shrieking their lungs and brains out.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 15 Aug. 2025
Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
From there, most of the trailer consists of rapid-fire flashes of unsettling imagery, including a man yelling with blood dripping from his mouth, muddy human footsteps on a hardwood floor, blood rinsing down a bathtub drain, and a distressed shriek from Indy.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shriek
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Verb
For subscribers, that makes now the perfect time to catch up on the horror film that had audiences shrieking, laughing and running to Reddit to compare notes.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
But Shea is still the ultimate image of fan hysteria — a massive swarm of Beatlemaniacs gathered together for a night of communal rapture, bonded in music, shrieking their lungs and brains out.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
The rapid approach of the animal—seemingly out of nowhere—prompted shrieks and a chaotic dash as tourists rushed to safety.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
From there, most of the trailer consists of rapid-fire flashes of unsettling imagery, including a man yelling with blood dripping from his mouth, muddy human footsteps on a hardwood floor, blood rinsing down a bathtub drain, and a distressed shriek from Indy.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 23 Aug. 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 10 Sep. 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
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