trilling 1 of 2

Definition of trillingnext

trilling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of trill
as in quavering
to sing with the alternation of two musical tones a bluebird trilled outside our window

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 trilling
Verb
Sounds of loud trilling shouts after silent hunts, and singing. Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025 The blast furnace of volcanoes has fallen silent, replaced by birdsong trilling from the branches and echoing through a garden of exotic stone. Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025 Expect to marvel at saddles blanketed in blueberries and multi-hued wildflowers, marmots trilling their warnings, ibex perched on rocky spines, and neon critters that wiggle and hop underfoot. Wendy Altschuler, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trilling
Adjective
  • The song may be six minutes long, but the circuitous lope of his acoustic-guitar strum and low throb of his warbling feel eternal, like the type of tune Sisyphus might have hummed to keep himself company.
    Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • The governor, Tim Walz, defeated for the Vice Presidency, gets on TV, his voice quavering, saying the right things, speaking the truth, and advising courage.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
  • The combination of quavering flutes and solemn, unfamiliar corridors is disquieting.
    Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 10 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Hescock again told protesters to stop using the bullhorn, and the group stopped chanting.
    Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 16 Feb. 2026
  • The students walked toward downtown Menomonee Falls and back to the high school for about 45 minutes, occasionally chanting.
    Cathy Kozlowicz, jsonline.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • By translating the in-person atmosphere into compelling, culturally resonant content, Kors amplified engagement and sustained momentum across channels, said ListenFirst.
    Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 18 Feb. 2026
  • Her voice is intimate and resonant, whether cut up into indistinct background flurries or pushed to the front of the mix.
    Alex Robert Ross, Pitchfork, 13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Authoritative, sonorous and compelling, his is the voice that persuaded millions that the Martians had landed in Grover’s Mills, New Jersey in The War of the Worlds.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
  • The country twang of her Nashville origins has been replaced with sonorous synths, and in the case of Showgirl, a throwback to the retro electric guitar sound of her bestselling 2014 album 1989.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Among these were melodic concepts like inversion (flipping a tune), transposition (shifting it up or down scales), retrograding (reversal), and translation (movement over time).
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Playing her instrument with melodic flair, Gaffey—who was also dressed by Chavarria—circled through the room in a red version of Montero’s backless number.
    Avon Dorsey, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • What makes the shoe so appealing is its nonchalant, slip-on-and-go versatility.
    Minty Mellon, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2026
  • Its immediate neighbors are two midrise apartment buildings that adopt an appealing, if safe, industrial vibe similar to many new buildings in the West Loop and Fulton Market.
    Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • What might be a pleasant wine on the ground often loses nuance or becomes imbalanced in flight since the low cabin pressure tends to mute aromas.
    Karla Walsh, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is in full bloom, and water excursions like kayaking, paddleboarding, and snorkeling are also especially pleasant at this time of year, even if the water’s a bit chilly, at least to natives.
    Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Trilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trilling. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.

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