# shrill

/ˈʃɹɪɫ/ (US) · /ʃɹˈɪl/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shrill
Updated: 2026-05-19

## Definition

to make a loud, high-pitched, and unpleasant sound. You use this when someone is screaming or when a machine is making a very annoying noise.

For teachers: to produce a high-pitched, piercing, and often unpleasant sound. Intransitive — typically describes the sound of a voice or a mechanical device.

## Examples

- The alarm started to shrill in the middle of the night.
- The angry crowd began to shrill as the politician refused to answer their questions.
- As the pressure in the reactor continued to rise, the safety valves began to shrill, signaling an imminent failure that required immediate evacuation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.