as in to scream
to cry out loudly and emotionally
the children shrieked with excitement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of shriek
Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Normally, scent voices are mere whispers compared to the screams and angry shouts of humans, but in that section, certain sensitive plant species shrieked incessantly because of their proximity to plants that hindered their growth.
—Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
Dobby Gibson, Literary Hub, 26 Jan. 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
Near the launch site, members of the crowd shrieked or stared in disbelief.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Normally, scent voices are mere whispers compared to the screams and angry shouts of humans, but in that section, certain sensitive plant species shrieked incessantly because of their proximity to plants that hindered their growth.
—Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
The shriek of a whistle, once the quaint signal of a traffic cop or coach ending soccer practice is now, in Minneapolis and St. Paul, the witnessing of another human-rights atrocity.
—Dobby Gibson, Literary Hub, 26 Jan. 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
-
The immaculate slouchiness of this pullover screams spring in the best way, especially when paired with a denim skirt or barrel jeans.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Hallways filled with screaming kids?—
Stephan Bisaha,
NPR,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
The only noise is the dip-dip of oars and the ethereal screech of horseshoe bats.—
Tristan Rutherford,
Robb Report,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Someone must have been squealing.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Some people were able to squeal and make u-turns and head away.—
Jack Guy,
CNN Money,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The book is closely argued but at times shrill and inconsistent.—
Dexter Filkins,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
-
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
-
Simultaneously, a 2021 video surfaced of Porter yelling at a staffer.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Time for the boycott supporters to scream, yell, and shout.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
For example, one additional experiment found that changing the thickness of the rubber could make the squeak sound lower or higher in pitch.—
Adithi Ramakrishnan,
Fortune,
26 Feb. 2026
-
But some of the insights from the study could help to design squeak-free shoes in the future.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The yelps and chatter of a nursery school recess clattered down from a small hill overlooking the scene.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
-
They are pinched into a bright, almost surgical nasality or burst loose into grand, sideways arcs, flaring out in a feral yelp.—
Emma Madden,
Pitchfork,
21 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shriek.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shriek. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
