SHRILL
Dictionary entry overview: What does shrill mean?
• SHRILL (adjective)
The adjective SHRILL has 3 senses:
1. having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones
2. being sharply insistent on being heard
3. of colors that are bright and gaudy
Familiarity information: SHRILL used as an adjective is uncommon.
• SHRILL (verb)
The verb SHRILL has 1 sense:
1. utter a shrill cry
Familiarity information: SHRILL used as a verb is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
• SHRILL (adjective)
Meaning:
Having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones
Synonyms:
shrill; piercing; sharp
Context examples:
piercing screams / a shrill whistle / a shrill gaiety
Similar:
high; high-pitched (used of sounds and voices; high in pitch or frequency)
Meaning:
Being sharply insistent on being heard
Synonyms:
shrill; strident
Context examples:
strident demands / shrill criticism
Similar:
imperative (requiring attention or action)
Meaning:
Of colors that are bright and gaudy
Context example:
a shrill turquoise
Similar:
colorful; colourful (having striking color)
• SHRILL (verb)
Meaning:
Utter a shrill cry
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Synonyms:
pipe; shriek; shrill; pipe up
Hypernyms (to "shrill" is one way to...):
call; cry; holler; hollo; scream; shout; shout out; squall; yell (utter a sudden loud cry)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "shrill"):
caterwaul; yowl (utter shrieks, as of cats)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Sentence examples:
The birds shrill in the woods
The woods shrill with many kinds of birds
