screech

1 of 2

noun

ˈskrēch 

1

: a high shrill piercing cry usually expressing pain or terror

2

: a sound resembling a screech

screech

2 of 2

verb

screeched; screeching; screeches

intransitive verb

1

: to utter a high shrill piercing cry : make an outcry usually in terror or pain

2

: to make a shrill high-pitched sound resembling a screech

also : to move with such a sound

the car screeched to a stop

transitive verb

: to utter with or as if with a screech

screecher noun

Synonyms

Verb

• howl
• scream
• shriek
• shrill
• squall
• squeal
• yell
• yelp

Examples of screech in a Sentence

Noun

With a loud screech, she smashed the plate against the wall.

Verb

I screeched when I saw the mouse.

He kept screeching at the children to pay attention.

“You can't do this to me!” she screeched.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

For two decades, the most frightening sound in the north was the screech of brakes preceding a bomb being thrown through the doors of a dance hall or pub. —Caitlin Flanagan, The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2024

Phill Simon and his family were sleeping in their Glen Park home when the screech of tornado alerts going off on their phones woke them up. —Hema Sivanandam, The Mercury News, 14 Dec. 2024

Verb

He's captured dozens of videos over decades of trucks getting the tops of their trailers sheared off, the screeching loud enough to give someone goosebumps. —Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 27 Dec. 2024

But Tucker’s life in the fast lane — complete with luxury homes, a Lear jet, and a fleet of Ferraris and Porsches — came to a screeching halt. —Joel Jacobs, ProPublica, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

alteration of earlier scritch, from Middle English scrichen; akin to Old Norse skrækja to screech

First Known Use

Noun

1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1577, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing screech

• screech owl
• screech to a halt/stop

Kids Definition

screech

1 of 2 noun

ˈskrēch 

1

: a shrill harsh cry usually expressing pain or terror

2

: a sound like a screech

the screech of brakes

screech

2 of 2 verb

1

: to cry out usually in terror or pain

2

: to make a sound like a screech

the car screeched to a halt

screecher noun