shriek

Meanings

1. 1verbintransitive

   To make a loud, high-pitched cry, typically expressing fear, pain, or excitement.

   Grammar: No object; often followed by a prepositional phrase like 'in/with + emotion' or 'at someone'.

   Patterns

   • shriek in/with something
   • shriek at someone
   • shriek something

   She shrieked in terror when the lights went out.

   The children shrieked with laughter on the roller coaster.

   He shrieked at the top of his lungs for help.

2. 2nouncountable

   A loud, high-pitched cry.

   Grammar: Regular countable noun; can be used with 'a' or in the plural.

   Patterns

   • a shriek of + noun
   • let out a shriek
   • with a shriek

   We heard a shriek of delight from the next room.

   She let out a shriek when she saw the spider.

   The shriek of the whistle startled everyone.

Word forms

Common combinations

shriek with laughter

The audience shrieked with laughter at the comedian's joke.

shriek in terror

She shrieked in terror as the car skidded.

a shriek of delight

A shriek of delight came from the children when they saw the presents.

let out a shriek

He let out a shriek when the cold water touched his skin.

Synonyms and how they differ

scream

Scream is a more general loud cry, often longer and lower in pitch; shriek is sharper and higher, suggesting sudden shock or excitement.

screech

Screech is a harsh, unpleasant high sound, often for things like tires or birds; shriek is used more for human voices expressing strong emotion.

yell

Yell is a loud shout, usually to be heard or in anger, not necessarily high-pitched; shriek is high and emotional.

Word family

shrieker noun

A person or thing that shrieks.

Commonly confused: shriek or shrike?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “shriek”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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