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
Essence, 23 Nov. 2022
Harris guest-starred on Seinfeld for 27 episodes as the shrill Estelle Costanza, opposite Jerry Stiller as George’s father, Frank Costanza.
—Vulture, 3 Apr. 2022
Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2022
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
Will Ripley, CNN Money, 17 July 2025
Obstacles include Lockwood’s shrill, untalented co-star Luna Lamont and clueless movie execs who are unprepared for a creative and technological revolution of movies with soundtracks.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrill
Verb
The shrill, yet welcome, sound of children’s laughter fills the air.
—Essence, 23 Nov. 2022
Harris guest-starred on Seinfeld for 27 episodes as the shrill Estelle Costanza, opposite Jerry Stiller as George’s father, Frank Costanza.
—Vulture, 3 Apr. 2022
Adjective
This device is very loud and shrill when operating.
—Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2022
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
Noun
While democratic Taiwan has long been used to those threats, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the increasingly shrill rhetoric from Chinese leader Xi Jinping and conflict in the Middle East have thrown into sharp relief what could be at stake if peace falters.
—Will Ripley, CNN Money, 17 July 2025
Obstacles include Lockwood’s shrill, untalented co-star Luna Lamont and clueless movie execs who are unprepared for a creative and technological revolution of movies with soundtracks.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrill
Verb
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For subscribers, that makes now the perfect time to catch up on the horror film that had audiences shrieking, laughing and running to Reddit to compare notes.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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But Shea is still the ultimate image of fan hysteria — a massive swarm of Beatlemaniacs gathered together for a night of communal rapture, bonded in music, shrieking their lungs and brains out.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Voices gasped, exhaled for a beat, then rose up in screams of horror.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
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In fact, the night’s singer-guitarist sang all the hits of the ‘00s and nearly everyone was scream-singing along.—
Tim McGovern,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Trains are drowning out the coach’s voice, the wind squeals in my hearing aids.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
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After months of gaining a foster dog's trust, one woman squealed with excitement when the canine finally showed her first sign of accepting the love.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Once upon a time the screech of the dial-up sound signaled our entry into a new realm in the form of the Internet.—
Michael Ashley,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
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People chatter, kids laugh, seagulls screech and birds chirp.—
Zareen Syed,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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By bringing the plant to a screeching halt, and interrupting the labor pipeline, costs will inevitably rise.—
Mary Ellen Klas,
Twin Cities,
11 Sep. 2025
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The bloody corridors are filled with screeching buzzsaws, slashing knives and earlier victims hanging on meat hooks.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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For a while, the only sound in the room was the squeak of a marker on a whiteboard, as Imamura wrote out several potential plot points.—
Matt Alt,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
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One of my only criticisms is how the interior is screwed together: more than a few squeaks and rattles came to light over choppy tarmac and mid-corner bumps and undulations.—
Peter Nelson,
Forbes.com,
23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Another wrong impression involves Morrison’s voice, which seems excited and high-pitched.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2025
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The Nashville singer-songwriter waited a full day with the high-pitched, pulsing sound before calling her doctor to check her ears.—
Adrianna Rodriguez,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Simba, a goldendoodle, and Rafiki, a labradoodle — yelp and bark.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
14 Sep. 2025
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With Bono keeping his Cliffs of Dover yelp in check, Zooropa scales down U2's anthemic-apostles side.—
EW Staff Published,
EW.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shrill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrill. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
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