shriek
High, sharp scream
A shriek is a loud, high-pitched cry or sound, typically expressing terror, excitement, or pain.
The verb shriek means to produce such a sound: She shrieked when she saw the spider.
Shrieks can come from people, animals, or things that make similar piercing noises: the shriek of brakes, shrieks of laughter.
Unlike a scream, which can be sustained, a shriek tends to be sharp and sudden.
Prolonged mournful cry
- wailProlonged mournful cry
- yellSpeak very loudly
- squealShrill, piercing cry
- cryVocal expression of emotion
bellow · squawk · yowl · caterwaul · yelp · exclaim · roar · ululate
Extreme, overwhelming fear
- horrorExtreme fear or disgust
- frightSudden intense fear
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
hysteria · bloodcurdling · spine-chilling · alarmed · startled · petrified · horrified · aghast
Resembling a specter
- hauntingDisturbingly unforgettable
- chillingCausing fear or cold
- spookyUnsettlingly strange
- macabreDisturbing, death-obsessed
sinister · uncanny · spectral · creepy · ominous · banshee · supernatural · unearthly
Penetrating or very sharp
- high-pitchedHigh in frequency
- earsplittingExtremely, painfully loud
- stridentHarsh and piercing
- sharpFine-edged, or astute
penetrating · ear-piercing · squealing · falsetto · treble · discordant · tinny · sibilant
Overwhelmingly loud
- loudHigh in volume
- thunderousExtremely loud, resounding
- resoundingEchoing loudly and fully
- boomingExperiencing rapid growth
blaring · cacophonous · raucous · clamorous · fortissimo · stentorian · vociferous · uproarious
howl
Prolonged mournful cry
cry · bellow · squawk · yowl · caterwaul · yelp · exclaim · roar · ululate · whoop
terror
Extreme, overwhelming fear
dread · hysteria · bloodcurdling · spine-chilling · alarmed · startled · petrified · horrified · aghast · traumatic
ghostly
Resembling a specter
macabre · sinister · uncanny · spectral · creepy · ominous · banshee · supernatural · unearthly · otherworldly
piercing
Penetrating or very sharp
- high-pitchedHigh in frequency
- earsplittingExtremely, painfully loud
- stridentHarsh and piercing
sharp · penetrating · ear-piercing · squealing · falsetto · treble · discordant · tinny · sibilant · soprano
deafening
Overwhelmingly loud
- loudHigh in volume
- thunderousExtremely loud, resounding
- resoundingEchoing loudly and fully
booming · blaring · cacophonous · raucous · clamorous · fortissimo · stentorian · vociferous · uproarious · tumultuous
- animal callsbird call, bird calls, ribbit, frog calls, peep
- annoying soundsteeth grinding, grinding, squeak, squeaky door, squeaky wheel
- criescry, shout, yell, wail, howl
- fear reactionsscared, gasp, terrified, flinch, panicked
- harsh soundssquawk, squeal, grate, rasp, scrape
- loud criesyell, howl, wail, holler, shout