noun
shriek
shreek
noun
1
A sharp, high-pitched scream or cry.
"A shriek echoed through the house when the lights went out."
verb
1
To let out a sharp, high-pitched scream or cry.
"She shrieked when the spider dropped onto her arm."
"The children shrieked with laughter on the rollercoaster."
How to Use Shriek
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA sudden, piercing scream, or to make one — from fear, pain, surprise, or even laughter.
Common pairings
shriek in terror
shriek with laughter
a piercing shriek
Word Forms
shrieked past tense, shrieks plural, shrieks singular
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A _____ echoed through the house when the lights went out.
Etymology
From earlier English "shrick," related to Scandinavian words like Swedish skrika, ultimately imitative of the sound itself.