trill 1 of 2

Definition of trillnext
as in to warble
to sing with the alternation of two musical tones a bluebird trilled outside our window

Synonyms & Similar Words

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trill

2 of 2

noun

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 trill
Verb
McGill’s superbly nuanced calls, runs, and trills elicited commentary from a second audience, perched in the trees above—a colloquium of finches, towhees, titmice, kingbirds, juncos, and Eurasian collared doves. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 Musselwhite punctuated the music with his harmonica trills and moans while his right knee bounced in time with the rhythms. — Kevin McKeough, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2026
Noun
For any Kentucky Derby spectator at Churchill Downs or at home, the brassy Call to the Post is instantly recognizable—a goosebump-inducing trill that the race is about to begin. — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2026 From intricate trills and inner voices to grand scales and fiery fast notes, Barnatan gave a masterful performance, supported by a commanding presence from the orchestra, culminating in a final variation that doubled as a fever dream. — Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 28 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trill
Verb
  • Playing a raging narcissist intoxicated with her own vocal calisthenics, Scherzinger gets one of the movie’s rare amusing moments, warbling in airy Mariah Carey melisma style even while weeping.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026
  • With her rich rupture of a voice, Caven warbles and quavers 16 autobiographical songs in German and French, accompanied by the electronic Catalan band Molforts.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • In fact, until the end, the fans treated it like a typical late-season Sun game from years past, when the franchise was a perennial playoff contender, cheering, chanting, getting after the refs at all the right moments.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026
  • But outside the hall, several thousand protesters chanted that he should be arrested for being a terrorist.
    — Eric Shawn, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • As the choir chorused and as brides in white gowns walked down the aisle, the handful of relatives and friends present inside the church maintained social distance, cheered and snapped photos.
    — Justin Kabumba, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
  • The striker was substituted in the 65th minute for Callum Wilson, with supporters in the away enclosure chorusing for his inclusion.
    — Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 3 May 2026
Verb
  • With her rich rupture of a voice, Caven warbles and quavers 16 autobiographical songs in German and French, accompanied by the electronic Catalan band Molforts.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Tiny Silver was a birdlike woman, either very young or very old, quavering.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Trill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trill. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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