Shrill
adjective
A high pitched and piercing sound or voice.
The car brakes made a shrill noise.
Often appears as...
- shrill voice
- shrill sound
verb
To make a high pitched and piercing sound or voice.
The birds were shrilling in the trees.
Often appears as...
- birds shrilling
- shrilling in fear
adjective
A high pitched and piercing sound or voice.
The car brakes made a shrill noise.
Often appears as...
- shrill voice
- shrill sound
verb
To make a high pitched and piercing sound or voice.
The birds were shrilling in the trees.
Often appears as...
- birds shrilling
- shrilling in fear
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Emotionally Charged
Shrill sounds can suggest strong emotions like excitement or fear, not just high pitch.
Her voice was shrill with panic.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
Describing a sound or voice as 'shrill' often implies it's unpleasant or grating.
The argument ended with shrill accusations.
Pro Tip 3/3Suddenness
'Shrill' can imply that a sound starts suddenly and unexpectedly.
A shrill ring interrupted the quiet room.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotionally Charged
Shrill sounds can suggest strong emotions like excitement or fear, not just high pitch.
Her voice was shrill with panic.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
Describing a sound or voice as 'shrill' often implies it's unpleasant or grating.
The argument ended with shrill accusations.
Pro Tip 3/3Suddenness
'Shrill' can imply that a sound starts suddenly and unexpectedly.
A shrill ring interrupted the quiet room.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotionally Charged
Shrill sounds can suggest strong emotions like excitement or fear, not just high pitch.
Her voice was shrill with panic.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
Describing a sound or voice as 'shrill' often implies it's unpleasant or grating.
The argument ended with shrill accusations.
Pro Tip 3/3Suddenness
'Shrill' can imply that a sound starts suddenly and unexpectedly.
A shrill ring interrupted the quiet room.
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Video examples
Neil MacGregor: 2600...
the debates are, as you know, shrill. But I think it's possible that the most powerful and the wisest voice of all of them may well be the voice of this mute thing, the Cyrus cylinder. Thank you.
Video examples
Neil MacGregor: 2600...
the debates are, as you know, shrill. But I think it's possible that the most powerful and the wisest voice of all of them may well be the voice of this mute thing, the Cyrus cylinder. Thank you.
Example 1 of 1
Quote examples
Richard Belzer
American Comedian
Have you noticed that the meanest, shrillest, least compassionate and most heartless people who are well off and have all the medical coverage they'll ever need are seemingly sickened beyond cure by the notion that someone who literally cannot afford health care is somehow beneath contempt and must be vilified and humiliated?
Quote examples
Eliot Spitzer
American Lawyer
Mitt Romney's primary season embrace of the social and economic agenda of the more rabid elements of his party doomed him, especially the shrill immigration rhetoric and the harshly insensitive theory that no additional sacrifice or contribution should be sought from those at the top.
Quote examples
Stacy Schiff
American Author
How does a woman in authority convey that authority? Is it possible for a woman to rule without sounding shrill? Is it possible for a woman to manage without manipulating? All of these things seem to me to be very much at the fore today, and were no less the case 2,000 years ago.
Quote examples
George Best
Irish Athlete
I noticed that when I touched the ball on the field, you could hear this shrill noise in the crowd with all the birds screaming like at a Beatles concert.
Quote examples
Joaquin Castro
American Politician
Doing your job requires different modes, and you can't just be stuck in one mode where you're always the shrill outsider screaming at everybody.
Quote examples
Lapsley
English Musician
I prefer to listen to a lot of male singers rather than females. Sometimes I find it a bit too shrill. I even find my own voice a bit too high.
Quote examples
Al Gore
American Vice President
Our world faces a true planetary emergency. I know the phrase sounds shrill, and I know it's a challenge to the moral imagination.
Quote examples
Michael J. Knowles
American Author
Shrillness is not the inevitable curse of the fairer sex.
Quote examples
Marcia Clark
American Lawyer
Where a man is forceful, a woman is shrill.
Quote examples
Renee Vivien
British Poet
I detest heavy perfume and shrill voices.
Quote examples
Richard Belzer
American Comedian
Have you noticed that the meanest, shrillest, least compassionate and most heartless people who are well off and have all the medical coverage they'll ever need are seemingly sickened beyond cure by the notion that someone who literally cannot afford health care is somehow beneath contempt and must be vilified and humiliated?
Quote examples
Eliot Spitzer
American Lawyer
Mitt Romney's primary season embrace of the social and economic agenda of the more rabid elements of his party doomed him, especially the shrill immigration rhetoric and the harshly insensitive theory that no additional sacrifice or contribution should be sought from those at the top.
Quote examples
Stacy Schiff
American Author
How does a woman in authority convey that authority? Is it possible for a woman to rule without sounding shrill? Is it possible for a woman to manage without manipulating? All of these things seem to me to be very much at the fore today, and were no less the case 2,000 years ago.
Quote examples
George Best
Irish Athlete
I noticed that when I touched the ball on the field, you could hear this shrill noise in the crowd with all the birds screaming like at a Beatles concert.
Quote examples
Joaquin Castro
American Politician
Doing your job requires different modes, and you can't just be stuck in one mode where you're always the shrill outsider screaming at everybody.
Quote examples
Lapsley
English Musician
I prefer to listen to a lot of male singers rather than females. Sometimes I find it a bit too shrill. I even find my own voice a bit too high.
Quote examples
Al Gore
American Vice President
Our world faces a true planetary emergency. I know the phrase sounds shrill, and I know it's a challenge to the moral imagination.
Quote examples
Michael J. Knowles
American Author
Shrillness is not the inevitable curse of the fairer sex.
Quote examples
Marcia Clark
American Lawyer
Where a man is forceful, a woman is shrill.
Quote examples
Renee Vivien
British Poet
I detest heavy perfume and shrill voices.
Example 1 of 10
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