shriller
Higher and harsher
Shriller is the comparative form of shrill—higher-pitched or more piercing than something else.
A whistle may be shriller than a shout; a child's voice shriller than an adult's.
Figuratively, rhetoric or complaints grow shriller as they become more strident and insistent: Her warnings grew shriller as the deadline approached.
High, harsh cry
- squealShrill, piercing cry
- whistleShrill air-blown sounder
- whineComplain in high pitch
- yelpBrief, shrill cry
squawk · falsetto · soprano · treble · high-pitched · piercing · sharpness · stridency
Harsh and piercing
- harshUnpleasantly severe or rough
- gratingCrossed bars or harsh
- cuttingDividing via sharp edge
- bitingHarshly critical or cold
acerbic · sharpening · intensifying · escalating · louder · angrier · nastier · fiercer
screech
High, harsh cry
yelp · squawk · falsetto · soprano · treble · high-pitched · piercing · sharpness · stridency · keening
strident
Harsh and piercing
biting · acerbic · sharpening · intensifying · escalating · louder · angrier · nastier · fiercer · relentless
siren
Wailing alert device
alert · warning · blaring · wailing · emergency · signal · blast · honking · beeping · claxon
yell
Speak very loudly
screech · yelp · squeal · shout · bellow · exclaim · protest · complain · hysterical · frantic
- shrill soundHarsh high-frequency noise