Definition

Verb (Present Participle / Gerund) 1. Emitting a high-pitched, piercing sound: The act of producing a loud, sharp, and often unpleasant sound at a high frequency. * The kettle was shrilling on the stove. * A siren shrilled in the distance.

Noun (Less Common) 1. A shrill sound: An instance or continuation of a high-pitched, piercing noise. * The shrilling of the alarm made it impossible to sleep.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • The cicadas were shrilling in the hot afternoon air.
  • Her voice shrilled with anger as she argued.
• Noun:
  • We could hear the constant shrilling of the fire alarm from the next building.

Advanced Usage

• Figurative Use: Can describe speech or writing that is strident, harsh, or unpleasantly insistent in tone.
  • The critic's shrilling condemnation of the film was widely published.

Variants and Related Words

• Shrill (Adjective): Describing a high-pitched and piercing sound or a strident manner.
  • a shrill whistle
• Shrill (Verb): To make a shrill sound.
  • The wind shrilled through the cracks.
• Shrillness (Noun): The quality of being shrill.
  • the shrillness of her tone

Synonyms

• Screeching: Emitting a loud, harsh, high-pitched sound.
• Shrieking: Uttering a loud, sharp, high-pitched cry or sound.
• Piercing: Describing a sound that is extremely high, sharp, and penetrating.

Antonyms

• Low-pitched: Having a low frequency.
• Booming: Making a deep, resonant, and loud sound.
• Muffled: A sound that is not loud because it is blocked or softened.

Noun

1. a continuing shrill noise
   • the clash of swords and the shrilling of trumpets--P. J. Searles