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
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
Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2025
His grandson toddled over, climbed into his lap, accepted a kiss with a screech of delight, and scooted off again.
—Ben Ehrenreich, Harpers Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2025
Money stopped flowing while the company’s systems were offline, so a major revenue source for thousands of providers across the U.S. screeched to a halt.
—Annika Kim Constantino,ashley Capoot, CNBC, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for screech
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Noun
But their magnum opus was 1978’s Dub Housing, where Thomas shows off his collection of animal noises, grunts, yelps, and screeches, up to his neck in industrial synth-and-guitar factory noise.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2025
His grandson toddled over, climbed into his lap, accepted a kiss with a screech of delight, and scooted off again.
—Ben Ehrenreich, Harpers Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
Craig responds with a sucker punch that puts Austin on the ground and brings the night to a screeching halt.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2025
Money stopped flowing while the company’s systems were offline, so a major revenue source for thousands of providers across the U.S. screeched to a halt.
—Annika Kim Constantino,ashley Capoot, CNBC, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for screech
Cite this Entry
“Screech.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/screech. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.
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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