shrillness

Examples

• All

• Then an alarm of a new and particular shrillness sounded from somewhere close by, intruding like a scream.

  Fiction book (1998)

• The shrillness in his own voice and the bored eyes of the policeman told him that he was getting nowhere with this sort of speech.

  Fiction book (1992)

• "She was aware of the shrillness of her voice, and that, to Mary, she must sound desperate.

  Fiction book (1996)

• She was angry at herself and embarrassed by her shrillness.

  Fiction book (1999)

• The phone rang inside, its shrillness muffled but compelling.

  Fiction book (1997)

• Here, Marlow hears a cry instantly in the emptiness of the landscape... whose shrillness pierced the still air.

  Academic text (2018)

• I could hardly focus on her words because of the shrillness in her voice.

• The shrillness of the whistle echoed through the empty halls.

Synonyms

S

scream

vsshrillness

596 1.0

A loud high cry made when someone is afraid or hurt

describes the enduring pitch quality rather than an individual cry

S

screaming

vsshrillness

92 1.9

A very loud high, piercing noise that hurts the ears

highlights the tonal sharpness rather than the emotional or noisy outburst

S

shriek

vsshrillness

43 2.7

A loud high sound showing fear, pain or excitement

is about the piercing pitch characteristic, not the emotional cause

S

shrieking

vsshrillness

15 3.0

A loud, very high sound like a scream made by a person or animal

refers to the persistent sharp pitch quality not just single cries

S

stridency

vsshrillness

1 8.5

A loud, harsh, high sound that hurts your ears

is more about piercing sharp pitch than general loud harshness

S

stridence

vsshrillness

9.9

A loud, rough, high sound that hurts your ears

focuses on the sharp, piercing tone rather than the overall loud state

S

shrilling

vsshrillness

7.4

A long, very high sound that hurts the ears

emphasizes the sharp pitch quality rather than the sound's duration

S

squeakiness

vsshrillness

4.0

A tendency to make a short high sound when something moves

describes piercing sharp pitch rather than quiet, short squeaks

Antonyms

S

softness

1 1.6

A quiet, gentle sound, like a whisper or soft music

M

mellowness

4.5

A smooth, rich feeling that makes music or food pleasant

How High-Pitched

screech

39 2.9

shrillness

1 5.6

squeal

34 2.9

squeak

22 1.9

peep

14 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology