as in to shriek
to cry out loudly and emotionally
the mud-splattered bystanders were shrilling with outrage at the inconsiderate motorist
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in shrieking
having a high musical pitch or range
the shrill sound of a policeman's whistle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shrill
Sadanand Dhume, WSJ, 9 June 2022
Each of the four movements Thursday traced a giant decrescendo, coming on strong with cacophonous, often shrill music and slowly ebbing away in a dazzling variety of textures and colors, all of them sparse and serene.
—Zachary Lewis, cleveland, 7 Jan. 2022
Arkansas Online, 20 Jan. 2026
With sports gambling legalized throughout much of the country and growing rapidly, the NCAA and the sports gambling industry should be hearing shrill alarm bells in this indictment and acting accordingly.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2026
Hazlitt, 20 Dec. 2022
The shrill, yet welcome, sound of children’s laughter fills the air.
—Essence, 23 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for shrill
Verb
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s increasingly shrill brand of Hindu nationalism has inflamed religious animosity within the country.
—Sadanand Dhume, WSJ, 9 June 2022
Each of the four movements Thursday traced a giant decrescendo, coming on strong with cacophonous, often shrill music and slowly ebbing away in a dazzling variety of textures and colors, all of them sparse and serene.
—Zachary Lewis, cleveland, 7 Jan. 2022
Adjective
With sports gambling legalized throughout much of the country and growing rapidly, the NCAA and the sports gambling industry should be hearing shrill alarm bells in this indictment and acting accordingly.
—Arkansas Online, 20 Jan. 2026
With sports gambling legalized throughout much of the country and growing rapidly, the NCAA and the sports gambling industry should be hearing shrill alarm bells in this indictment and acting accordingly.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2026
Noun
There has never been—knock on all wood—a bite, not even when that territorial shih tzu on Fawn Street broke away from its owner and chased us off the block with a shrill, honestly quite aggressive, warning.
—Hazlitt, 20 Dec. 2022
The shrill, yet welcome, sound of children’s laughter fills the air.
—Essence, 23 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for shrill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrill
Verb
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The finale is an ambiguous mix of jollity and agitation, with a piccolo shrieking above a militant march.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Mar. 2026
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The alternative would be to shriek at them for their hypocrisy.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The silence has transformed into screams.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2026
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Now all that's left to do is scream-sing along to Wilson Phillips.—
Vanity Fair,
Vanity Fair,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Something’s always smoking or squealing with these boys, huh?—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
16 Mar. 2026
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Some people squealed when Anna Wintour came out without sunglasses.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
16 Mar. 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
Adjective
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Recently, Swedish journalists broke news that should have brought the news cycle to a screeching halt.—
Yunus Emre Tozal,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
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This pitching process occurred during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when the TV and film industry — along with almost every other sector — came to a screeching halt.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Contributor DaVonne Onassis Bacchus tested it for us and had only positives to share, from the delivery and setup to the sturdy, squeak-free silhouette.—
Erika Owen,
Architectural Digest,
13 Mar. 2026
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On his proper introduction, Nett seems keen to fashion himself in the mold of new-wave rage stars like Che and Osamason, burning his low-end to a crisp and putting on his best Keef squeak.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The sound is urgent, high-pitched, a little terrified, and completely communal — an anthem of permission.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
12 Jan. 2026
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Depending on the keyboard and its modifications, their sound can range from high-pitched and hollow to deep and full.—
Henri Robbins,
Wired News,
9 Dec. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
“Shrill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrill. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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