1
: a high shrill piercing cry usually expressing pain or terror
2
: a sound resembling a screech
screeched; screeching; screeches
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
: to utter with or as if with a screech
screecher
noun
Synonyms
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
IEEE Spectrum, 11 Feb. 2024
Review: After seven-year absence, AC/DC proves the eternal joy of a riff and a screech
Oct. 8, 2023
5.
—Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2023
During a walk through the Huntington Botanical Gardens with her mother one morning, Brenda Ramirez was alarmed by the sudden squawks, warbles, and screeches of troops of parrots flying overhead at great speed in tight, precise formations.
—Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024
The explosive screech of violin strings is, however, underscored by one unexpected trill: a notification popping up on my phone.
—Hasina Jeelani, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2024
At dawn one morning, we were awakened by the screech of a patrol wagon pulling up next to us.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 8 Jan. 2024
The rest was drowned out by the sound of a shaking grandstand and the jet airplane screech of 58,000 people.
—Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2023
For 31 days, a witch cackles and screeches when anything triggers the doormat.
—Liz Vaccariello, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Oct. 2023
Silver fish leap above the surface, twisting like gymnasts, and a pet peacock screeches from the shore.
—Kiley Bense, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024
Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2024
At the last second, the man screeched to a halt, peeled out of the parking lot and drove away.
—USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2024
In videos of cars screeching in circles, with music thumping and headlights illuminating the spinning and the spectators, there was Diamond perched on the edge of the passenger window, her long black hair swirling in the wind.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, The Mercury News, 24 Mar. 2024
Then his two brothers proceeded to chime in with a cacophony of loud terrible screeching noises bemoaning about how heavy their water bottles were.
—Christina Crawford, Parents, 7 Dec. 2023
Four years ago, a virus brought everyday life in the United States to a screeching halt.
—Elizabeth Yuko, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2024
Rosanne Barr screeched her way through the song ahead of a game between the lowly San Diego Padres and the soon to be World Series champion Cincinatti Reds, ending the performance by spitting and grabbing her crotch.
—James Powel, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024
When the truck turns out of the parking lot, the driver again goes the wrong way, this time down Foch Street toward West 7th Street, tires screeching as the driver hits the gas.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Jan. 2024
He's been pecked at and screeched to by rivals, even becoming a subject for late-night TV talk shows.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2024
Noun
Of course, using piezoelectrics to produce a full range of high-quality audio is a long way from making a smoke alarm screech.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Feb. 2024
Review: After seven-year absence, AC/DC proves the eternal joy of a riff and a screech
Oct. 8, 2023
5.
—Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2023
During a walk through the Huntington Botanical Gardens with her mother one morning, Brenda Ramirez was alarmed by the sudden squawks, warbles, and screeches of troops of parrots flying overhead at great speed in tight, precise formations.
—Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024
The explosive screech of violin strings is, however, underscored by one unexpected trill: a notification popping up on my phone.
—Hasina Jeelani, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2024
At dawn one morning, we were awakened by the screech of a patrol wagon pulling up next to us.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 8 Jan. 2024
The rest was drowned out by the sound of a shaking grandstand and the jet airplane screech of 58,000 people.
—Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2023
For 31 days, a witch cackles and screeches when anything triggers the doormat.
—Liz Vaccariello, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Oct. 2023
Silver fish leap above the surface, twisting like gymnasts, and a pet peacock screeches from the shore.
—Kiley Bense, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024
Verb
Birds screeching were the first sign something special was happening.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2024
At the last second, the man screeched to a halt, peeled out of the parking lot and drove away.
—USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2024
In videos of cars screeching in circles, with music thumping and headlights illuminating the spinning and the spectators, there was Diamond perched on the edge of the passenger window, her long black hair swirling in the wind.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, The Mercury News, 24 Mar. 2024
Then his two brothers proceeded to chime in with a cacophony of loud terrible screeching noises bemoaning about how heavy their water bottles were.
—Christina Crawford, Parents, 7 Dec. 2023
Four years ago, a virus brought everyday life in the United States to a screeching halt.
—Elizabeth Yuko, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2024
Rosanne Barr screeched her way through the song ahead of a game between the lowly San Diego Padres and the soon to be World Series champion Cincinatti Reds, ending the performance by spitting and grabbing her crotch.
—James Powel, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024
When the truck turns out of the parking lot, the driver again goes the wrong way, this time down Foch Street toward West 7th Street, tires screeching as the driver hits the gas.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Jan. 2024
He's been pecked at and screeched to by rivals, even becoming a subject for late-night TV talk shows.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'screech.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to screech
Dictionary Entries Near screech
Cite this Entry
“Screech.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/screech. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
screech
1 of 2 noun1
: a shrill harsh cry usually expressing pain or terror
2
: a sound like a screech
the screech of brakes
screech
2 of 2 verb1
: to cry out usually in terror or pain
2
: to make a sound like a screech
the car screeched to a halt
screecher
noun
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