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
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
Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2025
He’s gone up higher for other roles before, like his shrill turn as a rotten southern preacher in The Devil All the Time and his sassy French accent in The King.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025
Vulture, 3 Apr. 2022
The shrill, yet welcome, sound of children’s laughter fills the air.
—Essence, 23 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for shrill
Verb
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
Adjective
There are many reasons to visit New Orleans, from po' boys filled with heaps of fried shrimp spilling out of pillowy soft French bread, the shrill trills of brass trumpets, and the constant bustle of revelers across the city.
—Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2025
He’s gone up higher for other roles before, like his shrill turn as a rotten southern preacher in The Devil All the Time and his sassy French accent in The King.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025
Noun
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
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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Dawn fights off the ghost, bleeding and shrieking into the void, pouring her heart into the battle.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2025
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Ozturk shrieked in fear as the officers — some of whom wore sunglasses — then covered their noses and mouths.—
Meredith Kile,
People.com,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Now, Hanson and Norman say, that display has moved onto social media, where teens’ For You Pages are flooded with acceptance videos featuring screams of joy and tears.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025
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Often reserved on the court, Holiday celebrated with a loud scream while walking toward the Boston huddle.—
Jay King,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
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As usual, guitarist Angus Young existed in his own world and cranked out a steady stream of power chords and squealing solos, all while — at the age of 70 — dressed like a schoolboy.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
11 Apr. 2025
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The couple squealed and giggled in the fitting room.—
Sadiba Hasan,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
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His grandson toddled over, climbed into his lap, accepted a kiss with a screech of delight, and scooted off again.—
Ben Ehrenreich,
Harpers Magazine,
26 Mar. 2025
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One-take monologues are sliced in half, plot twists pause mid-gasp, and a car chase sequence screeches to a halt.—
Viren Naidu,
IndieWire,
24 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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In any case, the great Florida land rush came to a screeching halt in 1926.—
Greg Daugherty,
Smithsonian Magazine,
15 Apr. 2025
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Compounding the issue is the global flow of goods coming to a screeching halt if the economy worsens.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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And studies have shown that mice carrying human FOXP2 genes also make strange squeaks.—
Carl Zimmer,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2025
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Juliana is one of those people who express positive emotions with a high-pitched squeak.—
Ali Barthwell,
Vulture,
25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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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
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Sounds can also be high-pitched or very low and can come and go or maintain a more constant presence.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
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But their magnum opus was 1978’s Dub Housing, where Thomas shows off his collection of animal noises, grunts, yelps, and screeches, up to his neck in industrial synth-and-guitar factory noise.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
25 Apr. 2025
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Bonobos, great apes related to us and chimpanzees that live in the Republic of Congo, communicate with vocal calls including peeps, hoots, yelps, grunts, and whistles.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
3 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shrill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrill. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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