Word
screeching
Phoneticsscreech·ing
US/ˈskɹitʃɪŋ/
UK/skɹˈiːtʃɪŋ/
Definition
adj. making a very high, loud, and unpleasant sound. You use this to describe things like car tires on a road or a person shouting in a high voice.
adj. characterised by a high-pitched, piercing, and often harsh sound. Frequently used as a participial adjective to describe mechanical friction or vocal distress.
Examples
“The car came to a screeching halt.”
“The screeching sound of the subway train echoing through the tunnel made everyone cover their ears.”
“The silence of the rural night was suddenly shattered by the screeching tires of a getaway vehicle racing toward the county line.”
Examples
simple
“The car came to a screeching halt.”
contextual
“The screeching sound of the subway train echoing through the tunnel made everyone cover their ears.”
complex
“The silence of the rural night was suddenly shattered by the screeching tires of a getaway vehicle racing toward the county line.”
Usage
Often used as a participial adjective before a noun; frequently collocates with 'halt', 'tires', or 'voice'.
Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/screeching