Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
shrilly

shrilly

1 6.6
With a high, sharp sound that hurts your ears
  • adverb
  • /ˈʃrɪli/
translation icon : agudamente
  • She called out to him shrilly, trying to be heard over the noise of the crowd.
  • whistle shrilly
  • scream shrilly
  • laugh shrilly

Always ready, shrilly whistle belly for the continuation of the long voyage.

Examples

  • The alarm rang shrilly, alerting everyone to the emergency.

  • "Yes," Ivan added shrilly, emboldened by his sister's defiance.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • "How do you know what any of them want from us?" she called out shrilly.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • The phone rang shrilly from the police station office.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • "Goats are a lot of work," she said shrilly.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • The servant was thrust through, protesting shrilly all the while.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • "It's him!" she cried shrilly, scrambling up the tunnel.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Terrible, despairing wails rose shrilly to his ears from the street below.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • "Then who?" Carla demanded shrilly, snatching the picture back.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • The orphans began writhing about on the stage, their voices screaming shrilly.

    Fiction book (1992)

Synonyms

stridently
vsshrilly
3 7.7

In a loud, harsh way that sounds unpleasant

is higher in pitch and more penetrating rather than only loud harshness
piercingly
vsshrilly
1 6.9

In a very sharp, strong way that you notice immediately

is focused on high pitch and a penetrating sound rather than general sharpness
squeakily
vsshrilly
3.7

With a short high sound like a mouse or a door hinge

is more penetrating and loud rather than only thin high sounds

Antonyms

softly
178 1.0

In a quiet, low voice or at low volume

How High-Pitched

piercingly
1 6.9
shrilly
1 6.6

Surface Forms

shrilly positive

Morphology

shrilly = shrill (transparent) = shrill + ly

A regular adverb formed from the adjective 'shrill' with the productive suffix '-ly'; the meaning follows directly from the adjective.

Etymology

Shrilly comes from the word shrill plus the ending -ly, and shrill means a 'high' and 'piercing' sound, like a whistle or a sudden scream. So, to speak or sound shrilly is to make that sharp, high noise that stands out above other sounds.