# squeal

/ˈskwiɫ/ (US) · /skwˈiːl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/squeal
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to make a high sound

verb · CEFR B2

to make a long, high-pitched cry or noise because of excitement, pain, or fear.

For teachers: to utter a shrill, prolonged cry or sound, often as an expression of intense emotion or physical distress.

- The children began to squeal with delight when they saw the puppy.
- The fans started to squeal as the lead singer walked toward the edge of the stage during the encore.

### 2. to inform on someone

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang

to tell the police or someone in authority about something bad another person did.

For teachers: to provide sensitive or incriminating information about an associate to a third party, typically the authorities.

- The thief was afraid his partner would squeal to the police to get a lighter sentence.
- Under intense pressure from investigators, the low-level associate eventually agreed to squeal on the rest of the organisation in exchange for immunity.

### 3. a sharp noise

noun · CEFR B2

a short, high-pitched sound made by a person, an animal, or a machine.

For teachers: a shrill, high-pitched vocalisation or mechanical sound.

- We heard a loud squeal from the car's brakes as it stopped suddenly.
- A sharp squeal of feedback erupted from the speakers, forcing the audience to cover their ears in discomfort.

## Examples

- The child let out a loud squeal when she saw the puppy.
- The brakes made a sharp squeal as the car came to a sudden stop on the wet road.
- The old wooden floorboards emitted a high-pitched squeal whenever the heavy furniture was moved across the room, signaling the end of the quiet afternoon.

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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.