shriek

Meaning

Noun

1. A sharp, shrill outcry or scream; a shrill wild cry such as is caused by sudden or extreme terror, pain, or the like.
2. (slang) An exclamation mark.

Verb

1. To utter a loud, sharp, shrill sound or cry, as do some birds and beasts; to scream, as in a sudden fright, in horror or anguish.
2. To utter sharply and shrilly; to utter in or with a shriek or shrieks.

Synonyms

scream

😱

screech

cry

😢

squeal

yell

howl

shout

cry out

roar

shrill

yelp

pipe

screeching

shrieking

bawl

screaming

squall

bellow

yowl

screak

squeak

squawk

thunder

🌩️

pipe up

wail

outcry

piercing cry

wawl

shout of laughter

utter a scream/shriek

cry of any animal

bark

loud cries

bawling

bay

bluster

boo

boom

💥

bray

call out

caterwaul

exclaim

exclamation

❗

grinding

guffaw

holler

make noise

mew

skirl

snarl

strident

trumpet

🎺

yelling

cry loudly

loud sound

raise one’s voice

skreigh

shrill voice

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ʃɹiːk/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: scrycke

Cognate with Swedish: skrika

Cognate with Danish: skrige

Cognate with Icelandic: skríkja

Cognate with English: screech

In summary

From obsolete shrick (1567), shreke, variants of earlier screak, skricke (before 1500), from Middle English scrycke, from a North Germanic/Scandinavian language (compare Swedish skrika, Danish skrige, Icelandic skríkja), from Proto-Germanic *skrīkijaną, *skrik- (compare English screech). More at screech.