Definition

1. Adjective:

   • High-pitched and piercing in sound: Describes a sound that is very high in pitch, loud, and often unpleasant or painful to hear.
   • Sharply insistent or strident: Used figuratively to describe something, like a demand or criticism, that is unpleasantly forceful, loud, or intense in manner.
   • Unpleasantly bright and gaudy: Describes a color that is very bright, harsh, and lacking in subtlety.

2. Verb:

   • To make a high-pitched, piercing sound: To utter or produce a sound that is sharp, high, and loud.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • The fire alarm emitted a shrill noise that hurt our ears.
  • She faced shrill criticism from the press for her decision.
  • He painted the door in a shrill pink that clashed with the rest of the house.

• Verb:

  • The kettle began to shrill as the water boiled.
  • The child shrilled in terror when she saw the spider.

Advanced Usage

• "to sound/ring shrill": to be perceived as having a high-pitched, piercing quality.
  • Her laughter sounded shrill in the quiet room.
• "shrillness" (noun): the quality of being shrill.
  • The shrillness of her voice made it difficult to listen for long.

Variants and Related Words

• Shrillness (n): The state or quality of being shrill.
• Shrilly (adv): In a shrill manner.
  • She protested shrilly against the accusation.

Synonyms

• Adjective (sound): Piercing, high-pitched, screeching, strident, ear-splitting.
• Adjective (manner): Strident, vociferous, clamorous.
• Verb: Screech, shriek, squeal.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions

• Shrill out: To cry out or utter something in a shrill voice.
  • The vendor shrilled out his prices to attract customers.

Related Idioms

• A shrill note/tone: Often used metaphorically to describe a harsh, insistent, or unpleasant element in speech, writing, or a situation.
  • His speech contained a shrill note of panic that worried the audience.

Adjective

1. of colors that are bright and gaudy
   • a shrill turquoise
2. being sharply insistent on being heard
   • strident demands
   • shrill criticism
3. having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones
   • a shrill whistle
   • a shrill gaiety

Verb

1. utter a shrill cry