screeching

screeching — noun

1. a very loud, high-pitched sound that is painful or unpleasant to listen to, such

1.nounB1
Definition

a very loud, high-pitched sound that is painful or unpleasant to listen to, such as the noise made by car brakes rubbing against a wheel or the cry of a frightened animal

Example

The screeching of the bus brakes woke everyone near the station.

the screeching of + source noun — specifying the origin of the sound

Eshe put her hands over her ears to block out the screeching of the loudspeaker.

block out + screeching — common verb + object pattern

Common collocations
  • screeching of brakes
  • screeching of tyres
  • screeching of birds
  • screeching of machinery
  • loud screeching
  • sudden screeching
  • constant screeching
  • terrible screeching
Synonyms
  • shriek

    suggests a human or animal cry more than a mechanical noise

  • squeal

    a continuous, higher-pitched sound, often of tyres or a small animal

  • scream

    usually refers to a human cry of fear, anger, or pain

  • wail

    a long, sad cry or sound, often less sharp than screeching

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

the screeching of + noun phrase

Usage Note

Usually uncountable — you refer to 'screeching' as a general type of sound (e.g. 'the screeching of brakes'). However, it can be treated as countable when referring to a single instance: 'A loud screeching was heard from the kitchen.'

Common Mistakes

I heard screeching from the road.' (too vague)
I heard the screeching of car tyres from the road.
Specify the source of the sound with 'the screeching of + [source]' for clarity.
Screeching is noise.
Screeching is a loud, high-pitched noise.
Adding modifiers gives the learner a clearer picture of the quality of the sound.

screeching — adjective

Word family

  • screech
    verbB1
  • screechy
    adjectiveB2
  • screecher
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe loud, high-pitched sounds, but they differ in what typically makes the sound. Screeching is most often used for mechanical or metallic noises — car brakes, tyres, or faulty machinery — and carries a sense of harsh friction. Shrieking is closer to a human or animal cry of alarm or excitement, and is less likely to describe a machine. Squealing suggests a longer, continuous high note, as in 'squealing tyres' or 'squealing children,' and can sometimes sound playful. Screaming is almost always human or animal, involving emotion (fear, anger, surprise) and usually a voiced cry rather than a friction sound. For example, you would say 'the screeching of the train brakes' but 'the screaming of the frightened passengers'; a bird might shriek, but a car tyre screeches or squeals.

screeching ↗shriekingsquealingscreaming ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'screeching' comes from the verb 'screech', which traces back to Middle English 'scrichen', from Old English 'scricettan' (to screech). Like many words for sharp sounds, it is imitative — the word itself echoes the noise it describes. Related words exist in other Germanic languages, such as Old Norse 'skrækja' (to shriek). The '-ing' suffix turns the verb into a noun (the sound itself) or an adjective (describing something that makes the sound).