as in to scream
to cry out loudly and emotionally
the children shrieked with excitement
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shriek
Ada Calhoun, Travel + Leisure, 7 May 2026
Douglas exclaimed after shrieking for a moment.
—Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
Theo Lloyd-Hughes, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Led by blaring ‘80s synthesizers and a pounding beat, the song features a distorted lead vocal from D’Angelo, who accompanies himself on multitracked backing vocals with the occasional soul shriek thrown in for good measure.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shriek
Verb
Nearby, children rode floaties atop the clear blue water, shrieking with delight as their parents lounged beneath umbrellas.
—Ada Calhoun, Travel + Leisure, 7 May 2026
Douglas exclaimed after shrieking for a moment.
—Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
Certain big tackles, hopeful shots and fouls draw the odd reactive shriek, but this is a group that has come to sing for 90 minutes off the same hymn sheet.
—Theo Lloyd-Hughes, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Led by blaring ‘80s synthesizers and a pounding beat, the song features a distorted lead vocal from D’Angelo, who accompanies himself on multitracked backing vocals with the occasional soul shriek thrown in for good measure.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shriek
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shriek
Verb
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On the witness stand, the teenager was reportedly combative and flustered by Jackson’s attorney Tom Mesereau, who attempted to poke holes in Gavin’s testimony and allegedly screamed at the boy throughout.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
Jay practically embarrassed Mase, then a pop rapper at Bad Boy Records, not by screaming but by sounding amused.—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Native to North America, eastern screech-owls are mostly gray, reddish-brown or brown with yellow eyes, according to the Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
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This causes a blast of high-energy radiation called a gamma-ray burst (GRB), a final screech of gravitational waves, and sends out a spray of neutron-rich matter, which allows a process to occur that generates very heavy but unstable elements.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There are also, naturally, Easter eggs and appearances from several of the TV show’s recurring characters and deep-cut references and lots of stuff that will make the true heads squeal.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
25 May 2026
-
There were no odd noises or squealing bearings to indicate the fan was having trouble.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
The book is closely argued but at times shrill and inconsistent.—
Dexter Filkins,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
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The Ochi speak, not with words, but sounds—melodic shrills that reverberate in the air and can be interpreted on an emotional level.—
DeVonne Goode,
Parents,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Slattery has a knack for giving big performances that also feel nonchalant, almost like he’s been there in that backyard the whole time yelling about lettuce, and a TV production just happened to set up shop around him.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
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Perkins can be seen yelling toward someone, while coaches on his team were pushing him away to alleviate the tension.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
28 May 2026
Noun
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Others reported a persistent squeak.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
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The only sound coming from the Dodger Stadium visitors’ clubhouse Wednesday night was the squeak of a laundry cart.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Saar yelps in an elevated octave before slipping them on … And not two seconds later kicking them off.—
Julissa James,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
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While a warm, four-bar bassline chugs alongside dubby stabs and bouncy swells, BEA1991’s vocals switch from nonchalant monotone to falsetto in a way that sounds like an involuntary yelp of joy.—
Reid BG,
Pitchfork,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shriek.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shriek. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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