screech
skreech
/skriːtʃ/
To make a harsh, high-pitched, piercing cry or sound, like car brakes or a startled bird.
Implies a highly discordant, unpleasant, and grating high-pitched sound. It is often mechanical (tires on asphalt) or animalistic (an owl or monkey).
The story behind the word. Like 'shriek', 'screech' is of imitative Germanic origin, evolving from Middle English 'scrichen'. It was specifically used to describe the nocturnal cry of the screech owl, which was historically feared as an omen of death.
Word relationships
- shriek: Shriek is more often associated with human emotions like terror or joy, while screech is more often associated with mechanical friction or harsh animal noises.
- squawk: Squawk is a short, harsh cry typical of a bird, whereas screech is more prolonged and piercing.
- purr: Purr is a low, continuous, vibrating sound of contentment, the opposite of a harsh screech.
Commonly confused with
- screed: A screed is a long, monotonous piece of writing or speech, while a screech is a sharp sound.
Word family
- screeched (verb (past)): Made a harsh, high-pitched sound.
- screeching (adjective): Making a harsh, high-pitched noise.
Collocations
- screech to a halt
- harsh screech
- screech of brakes
- screech with laughter
Idioms & expressions
- screech to a halt (to stop very suddenly and noisily)
Example sentences
- "We heard the tires screech as the driver tried to avoid the red light." Describing the sound of a car stopping suddenly.
- "The parrot would screech loudly whenever a stranger entered the living room." Describing a harsh vocal reaction.
Memory hook
Think of 'screech' as the sound of 'screws' scraping against a metal sheet. Screeching tires on a street.
When not to use
Do not use for melodic or pleasant high-pitched sounds. A flute does not screech; it pipes or whistles.
Fun facts
- The Screech Owl gets its name not because it always screeches, but because its defense call is a piercing, whistle-like wail that startled early settlers.
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.