SHRILL Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

shrill 1 of 3

verb

ˈshril

Definition of shrill

as in to shriek

to cry out loudly and emotionally the mud-splattered bystanders were shrilling with outrage at the inconsiderate motorist

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

shrill

2 of 3

adjective

as in shrieking

having a high musical pitch or range the shrill sound of a policeman's whistle

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

shrill

3 of 3

noun

as in shriek

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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 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

On shrill winter nights, Moscow’s power is conspicuous, its Orthodox cathedrals and Stalinist high-rises illuminated, though the view falls dim in the autumn and spring, shrouded in sheets of greige. — Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026 The chaos is still an acceptable price to pay for Birney’s expertly offputting performance, a shrill mania that gets increasingly comic over time. — Alison Herman, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026

Noun

What's more, this door alarm features three sensitivity levels and emits a loud shrill that will instantly scare an intruder away. — Stephanie Gray, Travel + Leisure, 5 Jan. 2025 The cheering was so loud that even ear plugs wouldn’t have masked the shrill. — Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 11 Aug. 2023 See All Example Sentences for shrill

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrill

Verb

The addition of the electric guitar, drums and Jack White’s shrieking vocals transformed it into a rock song, while also keeping its signature folksiness.

— Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026
The other customers cowered in the corners, while crowds formed at the windows outside, shrieking and recording the scene on their phones.

— Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026

Definition of shriek

Adjective

Cox’s film is biased in Bill’s favor, portraying him as a lapdog whose love for this screeching, spiteful, beady-eyed woman is his great tragic flaw.

— Katie Rife, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026
Ditch the pull-ups during the day There’s no disputing that pull-up diapers can be a great help with potty training, but when toddlers get too comfortable with what was intended to be a safety net, progress can grind to a screeching halt.

— BestReviews, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of screeching

Noun

This is hardly new, and scream queens, in particular, are often left to the whims of the internet.

— Mariam Bagdady, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2026
By the time of the witch trial, the sacred building stood stripped of its roofing and outer masonry—a fleshless skeleton; its giant west window glassless, miming a stone scream.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of scream

Verb

As soon as Sheeran took the stage, fans inside the stadium squealed and shouted with excitement.

— Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 20 Sep. 2026
Each of its elements began, long ago, in the loamy earth, hatching and creeping or slipping, slick and squealing, from the womb of the mind.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of squeal

Noun

The screech of guitar feedback echoed from a makeshift stage outside, where a punk-rock band had just launched into their set, a fitting accompaniment to the bar’s kaleidoscopic selection of beer.

— Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
La Vierge de Fer contrasts the delicate fruit and a lily note with the screech of cold metal, sparkling aldehydes, and lilting sandalwood.

— Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of screech

Noun

Nestled deep among the wads of shredded paper and other bric-a-brac, the occupants made not a squeak, concealed to anyone who looked through the carrier’s door.

— Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 21 Sep. 2026
The mice used some of the squeaks within their nests and others on the fringes of their territory.

— Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 3 June 2026

Definition of squeak

Noun

But the band’s sonic palette has gradually expanded to include synths, horns, and strings, with McCaughan’s lyrics getting more personal as well as more pointedly political over time even as his voice remains an eternally youthful yelp.

— Charles Moss, SPIN, 30 Sep. 2026
However, the chances of hearing a yelp from below are highly unlikely due to planes’ thick insulation and engine noise.

— Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of yelp

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shrieks

shrill

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“Shrill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrill. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of shrill

verb

adjective

noun

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