squeak

1 of 2

verb

squeaked; squeaking; squeaks

intransitive verb

1
: to utter or make a short shrill cry or noise
2
3
: to pass, succeed, or win by a narrow margin
just squeaked by in the election

transitive verb

: to utter in a shrill piping tone

squeak

2 of 2

noun

1
: a sharp shrill cry or sound
2
: escape
a close squeak
squeaky adjective

Examples of squeak in a Sentence

Verb I could hear the mouse squeaking. She squeaked when I pinched her. My shoes squeak when I walk. The wheel squeaks when it turns. He squeaked into office by fewer than 2,000 votes. “I can't believe it!” she squeaked. Noun She gave out a squeak.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Loyola brought home two titles of its own, starting at 113 where Jayden Jackson squeaked out a 7-6 decision over Mount Saint Joseph’s Joseph Cooper. Mike Frainie, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2024 The wood slats are designed with noise-free foam to avoid squeaking sounds. Olivia Muenter, Peoplemag, 5 Feb. 2024 On normal workdays, the phone can usually squeak by fine. Ben Sin, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Notably, the Warriors squeaked past Utah in their last game before the All-Star break, overcoming a defensive slide in the fourth quarter. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 22 Feb. 2024 The glitzy bath toy made a big splash, but just couldn't squeak through to next week. Jillian Sederholm, EW.com, 28 Sep. 2023 What is the absolute minimum necessary for UCLA to squeak into the NCAA Tournament without winning the Pac-12’s automatic bid? — @bruinalytics Short of winning every game through the semifinals of the Pac-12 tournament, the Bruins have no chance to make the NCAA at-large field. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2024 Dua Lipa and Miley Cyrus squeaked in by the skin of their popstar schedules. Tatiana Tenreyro, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Feb. 2024 Twins catcher Joe Mauer (76.1%) and Rockies first baseman Todd Helton (79.7%) unexpectedly squeaked in. David Faris, theweek, 25 Jan. 2024
Noun
My voice was a mere squeak trapped in the vastness of the phone line. Sean O’Rourke, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2024 During my drive around Malibu, California, not a single squeak or rattle was present. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 15 Aug. 2023 With eye-catching patterns like stripes, stars, and checks, and stimulating sounds like crinkles, rattles, and squeaks, this brightly colored toy is sure to engage little ones. Maya Polton, Parents, 17 Jan. 2024 The first stage of the nesting season involves males singing a rambling jumble of squeaks, crackles and pops while turning their shiny heads back and forth to catch the females’ eyes, as well as unique display flights that are one of the most stunning feats of any of our backyard birds. Jack Gedney, The Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2024 As the car's so small, the odd squeak from the door happens right next to your ear... Alex Goy, Ars Technica, 4 Oct. 2023 Amstell, who holds his body with an awkward discomfort and whose voice frequently ascends into a nervous squeak, explored the challenges of falling in love, and—harder still—being fallen in love with. Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2023 Finally, the nut-bolt combos come with silicone washers that eliminate squeaks and creaks. The Editors, Field & Stream, 1 Nov. 2023 No rattles or squeaks accompany hard driving, which speaks volumes about the car's quality. Larry Webster, Car and Driver, 23 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'squeak.' 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

Middle English squeken, of imitative origin

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of squeak was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near squeak

Cite this Entry

“Squeak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/squeak. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

squeak

1 of 2 verb
1
: to make a short shrill cry or noise
2
: to pass, succeed, or win by a narrow margin
barely squeaked by
3
: to utter in a shrill tone

squeak

2 of 2 noun
1
: a sharp shrill cry or sound
2
: escape entry 2 sense 1
a close squeak

More from Merriam-Webster on squeak

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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