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
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
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
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
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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Guadagnino encourages our doubts, shooting Maggie in exaggerated horror-movie closeups set to the doomy bass notes and shrieking winds of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s score.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
-
In one scene, a wrestling match/foreplay ends with Ray lifting a shrieking Colin into the air with his feet.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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All day, fans have been buzzing online, daring each other to out-scream every stop before them after Yeonjun teased that some crowds weren’t loud enough.—
Crystal Bell,
Rolling Stone,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Blood curdling screams and chains scraping against the ground can be heard throughout the prison.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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One of the first major highlights showed the moment Mei Xiang birthed a squealing Xiao Qi Ji and cradled her newborn cub.—
Sudiksha Kochi,
USA Today,
2 Oct. 2025
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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
Noun
-
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
-
People chatter, kids laugh, seagulls screech and birds chirp.—
Zareen Syed,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Metro Nashville mounted patrol officer Michael Douglas squeezed a three-foot-long rubber chicken, producing an increasingly louder and closer screeching sound to try and provoke a 1,700-pound Clydesdale named Ross.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
3 Oct. 2025
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First, the escalator going up to the main speaking floor came to a screeching halt.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Listen for the clink of glasses toasting Finland’s most popular cocktail and the squeak of authentic cheese curds atop poutine in Québec in the episodes.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
2 Sep. 2025
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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
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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As the spice levels rise, sweat starts to bead, faces flush, and answers descend into incoherent yelps.—
Diana Hubbell,
Popular Science,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shrill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrill. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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