What does screech mean?
To screech is to make a piercing, high-pitched, and usually harsh sound. People may screech when frightened, excited, angry, or in pain, while brakes, tires, gates, and machinery can produce the same kind of sound. As a noun, a screech is the cry or noise itself, and the expression “a screech of brakes” is particularly familiar. The word conveys intensity and suddenness: it suggests a sound sharper and more alarming than an ordinary shout. Although “scream” is a close alternative, it usually emphasizes the emotional force of a vocal cry, whereas “screech” draws attention to the sound’s piercing, grating quality. The word is equally common in formal descriptions of accidents, transportation, and everyday speech.
To make a loud, high-pitched, harsh, or piercing sound.
"She screeched when she saw the spider."
Often describes a person or animal making a sudden intense cry, but it can also describe the sound of brakes or machinery.
A loud, high-pitched, piercing cry or sound.
"There was a sudden screech of brakes outside."
Common in expressions referring to vehicles and machinery, such as “a screech of brakes.”
The plural is used for separate cries or sounds, especially when describing repeated noises or several occurrences.
"Screeches of brakes echoed through the tunnel."
A screech is the sound of excitement or alarm—and sometimes of a vehicle arriving just in time.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does screech come from?
The English word developed in the Middle English period, probably from an Old English form associated with a harsh, piercing cry. Its sound is largely imitative and may be related to Old Norse skrikja, meaning “to cry out.” The word belongs to a group of expressive English words for sudden loud noises, including “scream,” “screak,” and “shriek,” which arose through similar sound imitation rather than through a regular inherited vocabulary.
Related word forms
How screech is actually used
The word is commonly used for sounds that are piercing and harsh. It is especially frequent in the phrase “screeching brakes” and can describe people, animals, vehicles, or machinery.
Easily confused with screech
A scream is usually a loud vocal cry, whereas a screech is especially characterized by a piercing, harsh, high-pitched sound.
A screak is generally a brief, sharp, grating sound, often made by a hinge, shoe, or animal, while a screech is often more sustained and intense.