shrill

noun
UK: /ʃrɪl/
US: /ʃrɪl/

  1. A high-pitched, piercing sound.

    1. I heard a shrill scream.
    2. The shrill of the alarm clock woke everyone in the building immediately.

Synonyms

piercing screeching high-pitched
shrill verb

  1. To make a high-pitched, piercing sound.

    1. The whistle shrilled loudly.
    2. The tea kettle began to shrill as the water reached a boil in the pot.

  2. To say something in a high-pitched, piercing voice.

    1. She shrilled at her brother.
    2. The angry customer shrilled complaints about the damaged merchandise in store.
shrill adjective

  1. High-pitched and piercing.

    1. She has a shrill voice.
    2. The smoke detector emitted a shrill warning when the toast burned.

  2. Expressing opinions or complaints in a very loud and forceful way, often in an annoying manner.

    1. Her arguments were shrill and unconvincing.
    2. The politician's shrill attacks on his opponent were deemed inappropriate.
shrill adverb

  1. In a high-pitched and piercing manner.

    1. The bird sang shrill.
    2. The music played shrill notes that grated on everyone's nerves.

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "shrill" is /ʃrɪl/ in British English and /ʃrɪl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "shrill": piercing, screeching, high-pitched.

Example usage of "shrill": "I heard a shrill scream.". More examples on the page.