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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of shrill
Vulture, 3 Apr. 2022
The shrill, yet welcome, sound of children’s laughter fills the air.
—Essence, 23 Nov. 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
Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 15 June 2025
The males climb up trees and produce their shrill songs en masse, using muscles to vibrate a rigid part of their exoskeletons called tymbals.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrill
Verb
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
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
Still, the shrill alarm that echoed on Friday morning as Israel announced airstrikes on neighboring Iran gave her that familiar feeling.
—Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 15 June 2025
The males climb up trees and produce their shrill songs en masse, using muscles to vibrate a rigid part of their exoskeletons called tymbals.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrill
Verb
-
Three days before the biggest fireworks holiday of the year, the building exploded, sparking a fire that raged across the flat valley floor amid the sounds of fireworks popping and shrieking.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 July 2025
-
Gypsy’s famous stage mother, played by shrieking Audra McDonald, is racialized in Broadway’s latest instance of gaslighting.—
Armond White,
National Review,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
The screams of their hungry children are often unbearable.—
Sarah El Sirgany,
CNN Money,
30 July 2025
-
The screams layered together, rising and echoing in a hellish chorus.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
28 July 2025
Verb
-
González squeals with delight at the praise and, in a post-meeting video, cries while recounting all the people who helped make her dream come true.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
15 July 2025
-
There was lots of squealing and pointing as the kids gathered 'round their new fluffy neighbors.—
The Tennessean,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Cicadas are back at it again in 2025, already emerging in droves to announce the approach of summer with their screeches.—
Jack Knudson,
Discover Magazine,
30 May 2025
-
The screech of an infected is the first sign of trouble.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
19 May 2025
Adjective
-
The Tatum injury sent Boston’s dynastic rise into a screeching halt.—
Kristian Winfield,
Hartford Courant,
23 June 2025
-
The running faucet of titles came to a screeching halt after the Habs won 32 years ago.—
David Close,
CNN Money,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny, did the dolphin squeaks and whistles.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
8 July 2025
-
The footage shows the beautiful black cat not with a typical meow, but with a series of gentle squeaks.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 June 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
-
Bonobo dictionary Berthet started with establishing the tentative meaning of the basic calls: singular grunts or yelps.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
3 Apr. 2025
-
Cutts contain a series of sharp, loud clucks interspersed with yelps.—
Adam Moore,
Outdoor Life,
10 Mar. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Shrill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrill. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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