screech

1 of 2

noun

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Now imagine the screech of a needle being dragged across vinyl, then swivel 180 degrees to think of the exact opposite. Zoë Dare Hall, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024 That’s where Fairfield’s mixes came in, allowing the dragons to chirp, screech, sigh, sing, or laugh. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2024
Verb
Catherine walks blindly into the street, right in front of a speeding taxi, which screeches to a stop but still sends her spinning. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 18 Oct. 2024 My general rule is that anything below 33,000 sends out a buzzing warning signal to the owners and anything below 30,000 is screeching alarm bells. Tim Kawakami, The Athletic, 22 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for screech 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of screech was in 1560

Dictionary Entries Near screech

Cite this Entry

“Screech.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/screech. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

screech

1 of 2 noun
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

More from Merriam-Webster on screech

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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