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
Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 23 Jan. 2025
The rest of the outsize cast (Christopher Walken, Janeane Garofalo, Gina Gershon, and a very shrill Tom Arnold) desperately try to have fun with Touch’s stale media satire, but the film never rises above merely forgettable.
—Vikram Murthi, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2025
Essence, 23 Nov. 2022
The sudden shrill is as jarring as the sound of breaking glass and does equal damage to the video call’s momentum.
—Stacey Hanke, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2021
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
And of course, the shrill response to these claims from the political left was also typical and expected.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 23 Jan. 2025
The rest of the outsize cast (Christopher Walken, Janeane Garofalo, Gina Gershon, and a very shrill Tom Arnold) desperately try to have fun with Touch’s stale media satire, but the film never rises above merely forgettable.
—Vikram Murthi, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2025
Noun
The shrill, yet welcome, sound of children’s laughter fills the air.
—Essence, 23 Nov. 2022
The sudden shrill is as jarring as the sound of breaking glass and does equal damage to the video call’s momentum.
—Stacey Hanke, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for shrill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrill
Verb
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Democrats will shriek about draconian spending cuts, but the instructions the House has given are modest — really, too modest, if the goal is to change the long-run trajectory of the federal debt.—
The Editors,
National Review,
27 Feb. 2025
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No wonder, then, that every appearance on that first two-week visit by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Starr was met by shrieking teenagers, signs of what became known as Beatlemania.—
Jorge L. Ortiz,
USA TODAY,
7 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Pleas to end the mayhem were also ignored by the crowd as screams and commotion continued to fill the terminal.—
Bonny Chu,
Fox News,
23 Feb. 2025
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But the shrieking Ben and Mari hear is more than just screams.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Pip squealed and clapped her hands, and Flora squeezed Pip’s arm, laughing with relief.—
Sheila Heti,
The New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2025
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One of the first major highlights showed the moment Mei Xiang birthed a squealing Xiao Qi Ji and cradled her newborn cub.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA TODAY,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The jungle struck up its evening symphony: the sweet chittering of insects, the distant bellowing of monkeys, the occasional screech of a kite.—
Charlie Cordero,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2025
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But as the race against former President Trump screeches into its final week, joy has taken the back seat.—
David Lauter,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Most notably, the tournament’s championship game between Charles Barkley’s team and Shaquille O’Neal’s came to a screeching halt after five minutes of play.—
Bennett Durando,
The Denver Post,
17 Feb. 2025
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On the contrary, the movie fatally overestimates the appeal of its monsters and their habitat, and the fun comes to a screeching halt when our characters plunge into the Gorge itself and begin to learn the truth about what their governments have been trying to hide.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2025
Noun
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But dolphins have complex dialects in the form of crackles, squeaks and whistles.—
Leticia Fanucchi,
The Conversation,
10 Feb. 2025
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Loud hums, squeaks, and rattles: While many old dishwashers do emit a loud hum, sometimes this can be caused by a problem with a pump.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
25 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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For example, pain cries are often loud, high-pitched and harsh to grab the attention of listeners and elicit aid.—
Katarzyna Pisanski,
Scientific American,
21 Feb. 2025
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These frogs live along fast-flowing streams in mountainous areas of Madagascar, and with such loud background noise, their calls may be especially high-pitched to be heard by other frogs over the sound of the water, according to Scherz.—
Olivia Ferrari,
Smithsonian Magazine,
21 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Most people know what a yelp sounds like, but probably not all the subtlety within a series of yelps.—
Scott Einsmann,
Outdoor Life,
12 Feb. 2025
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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominations for the 97th Oscars this morning, and as usual, there were yelps of joy throughout the land: Viva Anora!—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
23 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shrill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrill. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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