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
Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Then a fleet of America’s Cup AC50 catamarans — 50-foot carbon-fiber flying behemoths — came shrieking past Calico Jack’s at speeds approaching 50 knots.
—Andrew Rice, New York Times, 8 May 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
While peacocks have roamed the streets of Los Angeles County for more than a century, officials in 2021 moved to ban people from feeding them after reports of the birds shrieking in the night and damaging property.
—Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Then a fleet of America’s Cup AC50 catamarans — 50-foot carbon-fiber flying behemoths — came shrieking past Calico Jack’s at speeds approaching 50 knots.
—Andrew Rice, New York Times, 8 May 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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As if each of us isn’t a walking embodiment of our moment, clueless and attuned at once, screaming about one thing and in total denial about another.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
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The first thing many visitors see from their airplane windows is the giant LUMEN screaming up through the Seattle gloom.—
Les Carpenter,
Washington Post,
10 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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Automatic weapons blasting, tires squealing, the whole bit.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
3 June 2026
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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
Noun
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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 13 Jun. 2026.
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