screech

1 of 2

noun

ˈskrēch 

1

: a high shrill piercing cry usually expressing pain or terror

2

: a sound resembling a screech

screech

2 of 2

verb

screeched; screeching; screeches

intransitive verb

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

transitive verb

: to utter with or as if with a screech

screecher noun

Synonyms

Verb

• howl
• scream
• shriek
• shrill
• squall
• squeal
• yell
• yelp

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

Noun

In that film, as her character Amber (spoiler alert!) heads to her comically bloody death, Madison goes from steely-faced to positively feral, unleashing guttural screeches and flailing her limbs as if possessed. —Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2024

Phoenix, on the other hand, warbles and screeches through his numbers. —Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 4 Oct. 2024

Verb

Boeing’s already sluggish aircraft delivery schedule has now screeched to a near halt. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2024

However, all that positive momentum came screeching to a halt just minutes later. —Ben Morse, CNN, 6 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

alteration of earlier scritch, from Middle English scrichen; akin to Old Norse skrækja to screech

First Known Use

Noun

1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1577, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing screech

• screech owl
• screech to a halt/stop

Kids Definition

screech

1 of 2 noun

ˈskrēch 

1

: a shrill harsh cry usually expressing pain or terror

2

: a sound like a screech

the screech of brakes

screech

2 of 2 verb

1

: to cry out usually in terror or pain

2

: to make a sound like a screech

the car screeched to a halt

screecher noun