squeal

verb

Save Word

\ ˈskwēl

squealed; squealing; squeals

Definition of squeal

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to make a shrill cry or noise

2a : to turn informer squeal to the police

b : complain, protest

transitive verb

1 : to express with or as if with a squeal

2 : to cause to make a loud shrill noise squealing the tires

squeal

noun

Definition of squeal (Entry 2 of 2)

: a shrill sharp cry or noise

Other Words from squeal Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about squeal

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of squeal in a Sentence

Verb The car squealed to a stop. He squealed the tires and drove off. She squealed to the teacher. “Let me go,” she squealed. Noun She heard the pig's squeals.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb All joking aside, The Aristocrats often have audiences squealing with delight. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "The Aristocrats soar with new album, tour, and rubber pig solos," 29 Aug. 2019 NJ Devil and a bunch of squealing children can be seen playing with a parachute at an indoor play area that has giant window panes serving as the front wall. — Chuck Schilken, latimes.com, "New Jersey Devils mascot shatters a giant window at a child's birthday party," 15 July 2019 The sound of women’s laughter and squealing children fills the kitchen as masa is spread across corn husks, a dollop of meat in the center, the little package rolled, sealed, and steamed. — Emma Schwartz, Bon Appétit, "How a Prison Cooking Show Connects Residents to Life Outside," 2 July 2019 The Struts share a mischievous wink with their audience while rolling out squealing licks and catchy hooks. — Adam Lukach, chicagotribune.com, "The things we loved about Riot Fest’s 15th anniversary, and some we really didn’t," 16 Sep. 2019 Throughout the terrifying ordeal, children could be heard crying and squealing. — Robyn Merrett, PEOPLE.com, "Family Who Were Allegedly at the Center of a Violent Fight at Disneyland Face Multiple Charges," 24 July 2019 Seated in a sleek red sedan, he was escorted to top tier of the Dodger Stadium parking lot, squealing tires and everything, by a dark blue SUV with flashing red lights. — Gary Peterson, The Mercury News, "Bud Selig bemoans having to follow Barry Bonds on record home run chase," 9 July 2019 During peak hours on weekend mornings at Detour Doughnuts in Frisco, busy moms with strollers carrying squealing children zip in and out as other customers more leisurely peer through the glass case. — Dallas News, "How the young owner of Frisco's Detour Doughnuts learned the business from her Korean parents," 14 Aug. 2019 In space, no one can hear your tires squeal, but that won’t stop Goodyear from putting an experiment to make safer, more efficient tires on a SpaceX rocket to the International Space Station on Sunday. — Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, "Tires in space? Goodyear to test rubber in zero G. Here's why," 20 July 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun So many jokes, so much body comedy, so many surprises and awwws, and squeals of live-studio audience excitement. Hairdressers were doing — and not infrequently botching — the Rachel. — Wesley Morris, New York Times, "‘Friends’ Is Turning 25. Here’s Why We Can’t Stop Watching it.," 5 Sep. 2019 According to the Zoo, the vocalizations can indicate distress (chirps and honks), pain (squeals), a friendly gesture (bleats), a defensive threat (chomp—a teeth clattering rapid opening and closing of the mouth), or a bark to scare off an enemy. — Beth Py-lieberman, Smithsonian, "14 Fun Facts About Giant Pandas," 10 Aug. 2019 The Zoo’s popular Giant Panda Cam is one of the best ways to listen in for the chirps, honks, bleats, barks and squeals. — Beth Py-lieberman, Smithsonian, "14 Fun Facts About Giant Pandas," 10 Aug. 2019 Brockhampton’s lyrics are intensely personal, but the band’s members have always been drawn to production effects that obscure their voices, pitching them high, to an absurdist squeal, or low, to a gloomy bellow. — Carrie Battan, The New Yorker, "Brockhampton Grows Up," 2 Sep. 2019 The animal lies on its side with its mouth open, no doubt emitting one final squeal. — Farah Nayeri, New York Times, "Stuffed Dormouse and Fish Gut Sauce: The Flavors of Pompeii," 7 Aug. 2019 The squeal comes from a tab of metal built into the pad that becomes exposed as material wears away. — Mac Demere, Popular Mechanics, "11 Things Your Car Is Trying to Tell You," 2 Aug. 2019 There was a ruffle of feathers, muffled peeps and then squeals of joy from Hirsch Elementary School students as 11 hens and four roosters were placed into the school’s new chicken coop Monday morning. — Sara Cline, ExpressNews.com, "Poultry raised at San Antonio school come home to roost," 20 Aug. 2019 Wochit, Wochit The smell of burning rubber and the squeal of shredding tires are back at M1 Concourse and that means an annual ritual has returned to Pontiac. — Eric D. Lawrence, Detroit Free Press, "Let the tire shredding begin: Roadkill Nights returns to Pontiac, adds events Friday," 9 Aug. 2019

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