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
Charlie Cordero, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
But as the race against former President Trump screeches into its final week, joy has taken the back seat.
—David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2024
Alec Lewis, The Athletic, 15 Jan. 2025
The camera angles in the van are so cinematic to me — the angle of a screeching Meredith is nightmarish.
—Sarah Hagi, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for screech 
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Noun
The jungle struck up its evening symphony: the sweet chittering of insects, the distant bellowing of monkeys, the occasional screech of a kite.
—Charlie Cordero, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
But as the race against former President Trump screeches into its final week, joy has taken the back seat.
—David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2024
Verb
The train hums for 18 weeks and then screeches to a halt.
—Alec Lewis, The Athletic, 15 Jan. 2025
The camera angles in the van are so cinematic to me — the angle of a screeching Meredith is nightmarish.
—Sarah Hagi, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for screech
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 18 Jan. 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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