squawk

1 of 2

verb

squawked; squawking; squawks

intransitive verb

1
: to utter a harsh abrupt scream
2
: to complain or protest loudly or vehemently
opponents of the bill squawked
squawker noun

squawk

2 of 2

noun

1
: a harsh abrupt scream
2
: a noisy complaint

Examples of squawk in a Sentence

Verb The customers squawked about the high prices. Opponents of the project have been squawking. Noun if we don't receive any squawks, we can assume the change was acceptable
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
For her mother’s birthday on Nov. 12, Ramirez took her to Rosemead Boulevard to witness the unusual sundown spectacle of squawking parrots plunging into the trees. Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024 The next two months will involve a lot of industry squawking for CMS to raise rates. Bob Herman Reprints, STAT, 5 Feb. 2024 Around 80 fat Sasso chickens squawk and scratch in his stone henhouse. Katharine Houreld, Washington Post, 2 Dec. 2023 Bye Bye Barry forgoes sensationalism and squawking beads for an implicit statement of the obvious: Barry Sanders owes you nothing. Chris Vognar, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2023 As waves lapped the boat, Mr. Winkler and his pro bono deckhands set about sorting through the pile, throwing back the sea robins, dogfish and porgies as flocks of sea gulls squawked overhead, eager for the castoffs. Karen Zraick Karsten Moran, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2023 And the seven stars go squawking Like geese about the sky. Alan Jacobs, Harper's Magazine, 13 Apr. 2022 The alarm squawks over the loudspeaker at the McCall Smokejumper Base. Alfredo Sosa, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 July 2023 Back at home in a tranquil part of Redon, Mr. Berthelot and his wife of 42 years, Marie-Anne, take a break with homemade apple juice, their chickens squawking in a nearby cage. Colette Davidson, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 July 2023
Noun
As the couple turn to continue their walk, the ducks squawk, asking for more. Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 2 Feb. 2024 The song is unlovely and jagged, the melody’s sweetness repeatedly punctured by the squawks of their habitual bickering. Washington Post Staff, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2024 Their raspy and dissident squawks are quite out of tune. Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Dec. 2023 Others are driven near-mad by their incessant squawks. Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2023 On the floor of the command center is a constant buzz of conversation, punctuated by radio squawks and ringing phones. Lori Aratani, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023 There are squawks of delight, and more little screens emerge from the shadows. Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 13 Nov. 2023 Birds can make an array of noises, from elegant trills to ear-piercing squawks—and nearly everything in between. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Sep. 2023 Blue herons, with their slow, wide flap and low squawk, seem somehow disapproving. Jennifer Berney, Outside Online, 7 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'squawk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

probably blend of squall and squeak

First Known Use

Verb

1821, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1850, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of squawk was in 1821

Dictionary Entries Near squawk

Cite this Entry

“Squawk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/squawk. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

squawk

1 of 2 verb
1
: to utter a harsh short scream
2
: to complain or protest loudly or forcefully
students squawked about the new dress code
squawker noun

squawk

2 of 2 noun
1
: a harsh short scream
2
: a noisy complaint

More from Merriam-Webster on squawk

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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