shrill 1 of 3

verb

ˈshril How to pronounce shrill (audio)
Definition of shrillnext
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
Some cymbal hits came across as slightly shrill thanks to the high-mid emphasis. — Christian De Looper, PC Magazine, 23 Mar. 2026 And each dares to honor the humanity in characters often reduced to predators and prey by one faction, shrill social justice warriors and brave free thinkers by another. — Judy Berman, Time, 5 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
  1. shriek
  2. screeching
  3. scream
  4. squeal
  5. high-pitched
  6. screech
  7. squeak
  8. yelp
Verb
  • 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
  • Kids are shrieking through their favorite splash pads, faces sticky with Bomb Pop juice and joy.
    — Mark Glende, Twin Cities, 2 July 2026
Definition of shriek
Adjective
  • But when decisions stall, momentum slows, sometimes to a screeching halt.
    — Nathan Mitchell, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
  • San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s apparent attempt to get traded to the Washington Commanders in the offseason may have come to a screeching halt.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of screeching
Noun
  • Thom begins kicking Robert, but before that fight can escalate, there’s a scream from inside the house.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
  • According to police records, a father dropping off two of his children for daycare heard screams coming from the basement.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of scream
Verb
  • Cannon said before pretending to jab his arm with a dosage while squealing from the pain and showing his vaccination card.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
  • Toddlers squealed and played, and an older woman cried softly.
    — Will Freeman, New Yorker, 30 June 2026
Definition of squeal
Adjective
  • Female eagles often repeat a solitary soft but high-pitched note.
    — Finch Walker, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Noise colors can be high-pitched (rapidly vibrating) sounds, low-pitched (slowly vibrating) sounds, or a combination.
    — Laura Kiniry, Popular Science, 25 Mar. 2026
Definition of high-pitched
Noun
  • 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
  • Equally notable throughout the game was the angry screech, reserved for whenever the Czech Republic players had the ball — or worse — were given a free kick.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 26 June 2026
Definition of screech
Noun
  • 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
  • Others reported a persistent squeak.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 29 May 2026
Definition of squeak
Noun
  • Dropping the volume on your foot would cause an agonized and very non-silent yelp.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Some yelp in pain after stepping barefoot on a peanut or toy.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
Definition of yelp

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Cite this Entry

“Shrill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrill. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of shrill for Spanish Speakers

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