shout

shout — verb

1. to speak at full volume, typically to be heard when your surroundings are noisy

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveA2
Definition

to speak at full volume, typically to be heard when your surroundings are noisy or the listener is far from you

Example

Yumi had to shout across the busy street to get her brother's attention.

shout across [place] — to be heard over distance

The coach shouted instructions from the sideline, but the wind carried his voice away.

shout + noun phrase (instructions)

Common collocations
  • shout across
  • shout over
  • shout to
  • shout at
  • shout something
Synonyms
  • yell

    more common in everyday US English; slightly more emotional or aggressive in tone

  • call out

    less intense — usually just to get someone's attention, not necessarily at full volume

  • bellow

    much deeper and louder; often used for animals or very large people, and more literary

Antonyms
  • whisper

    to speak very softly without using vocal cords

Grammar Patterns

shout + preposition phrase (at, to, across, over)

shout + noun phrase (instructions, orders, commands)

Usage Note

Frequently used with prepositions that show direction (across, to, at, over) or the source of noise (over, above). The object is usually information that needs to be heard (instructions, orders, a name), not an emotion.

Common Mistakes

He shouted me from across the room.
He shouted to me from across the room.
when directing speech at someone, include the preposition 'to'.
She shouted loudly to be heard.
She shouted to be heard.
'shout' already means a loud voice, so 'loudly' is redundant.

2. to raise your voice in order to let strong emotions — like rage, terror, delight

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveA2
Definition

to raise your voice in order to let strong emotions — like rage, terror, delight, or a forceful view — be known

Example

Aunt Noor shouted in frustration when she saw the cake had fallen apart.

shout in + emotion (frustration, anger, excitement)

The fans shouted with joy as the team scored the winning goal.

shout with + emotion (joy, relief, delight)

Common collocations
  • shout in anger
  • shout with joy
  • shout at someone
  • shout abuse
  • shout encouragement
Synonyms
  • cry out

    suggests a sudden, involuntary shout caused by pain, fear, or surprise

  • scream

    higher pitched and often sharper; commonly associated with fear, terror, or extreme excitement

  • yell

    broadly interchangeable, but can sound less intense than 'shout' in some contexts

Antonyms
  • murmur

    to speak quietly and indistinctly, often expressing contentment or disagreement softly

Grammar Patterns

shout + preposition (in, with, at)

shout + noun phrase (abuse, insults, encouragement)

Usage Note

The emotion is typically introduced by in (shouted in anger), with (shouted with delight), or by the tone of the object (shouted abuse). When directed at a person, use at (shouted at someone), which often implies anger or blame. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense emphasises the emotion being released, not just the volume needed to communicate across distance.

Common Mistakes

She shouted at him with excitement.
She shouted with excitement.
'with excitement' describes the speaker's feeling; avoid combining 'at' (blame) with positive emotions unless context clearly shows otherwise.

3. to call out loudly in order to get someone's notice, or to ask for help or servi

3.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to call out loudly in order to get someone's notice, or to ask for help or service

Example

Noor shouted for help when she heard someone crying in the dark alley.

shout for + noun (help, assistance, a taxi)

Ignacio shouted to the waiter across the crowded restaurant, hoping to catch his eye.

Common collocations
  • shout for help
  • shout for the waiter
  • shout to someone
  • shout from
Synonyms
  • call out

    more neutral and less urgent; can also mean to interrupt or challenge in a meeting

  • summon

    formal; used for calling a person to come, often with authority

Grammar Patterns

shout + for + needed thing/help

shout + to + infinitive of purpose

shout + to + person

Usage Note

The purpose of the shout is to obtain something — help, service, or someone's gaze. This distinguishes it from sense 1 (distance communication) and sense 2 (emotional release). Common in urgent situations: shouting for help, shouting for a taxi, shouting for the waiter.

Common Mistakes

He shouted a taxi.
He shouted for a taxi.
use the preposition 'for' when the shout aims to get a service or object.

4. to pay for an alcoholic beverage as a gift for another person, generally in a pu

4.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to pay for an alcoholic beverage as a gift for another person, generally in a pub

Example

I'll shout you a beer — you've had a long week, mate.

shout + indirect object + direct object

It was Tamar's birthday, so she shouted the whole group a round of cocktails.

Common collocations
  • shout someone a drink
  • shout a round
  • shout this one
Synonyms
  • treat

    broader in meaning — can be food, drink, or any gift, and is used in all varieties of English

Grammar Patterns

shout + indirect object + direct object

shout + someone + a drink

Usage Note

Almost exclusively British informal usage, heard in pubs and casual social settings. The most common grammatical pattern is 'shout + person + drink': 'I'll shout you a pint.' The direct object is usually a drink or a round of drinks, not food. This sense is unrelated to the volume of the voice.

Common Mistakes

I shouted him dinner.
I shouted him a drink.
this expression is used for drinks, not food, and typically alcoholic ones.
Phrasal verbs

shout down

phrasal verb

To prevent someone from being heard by shouting loudly while they are speaking.

The angry crowd shouted down the politician during the debate.

Did the protesters shout down the speaker at the rally?

shout out

phrasal verb

To say something loudly, especially to get someone's attention or to greet them.

Sara shouted out to her friend across the busy street.

Diego shouted out the answer before the teacher called on him.

Idioms

shout, etc. something from the rooftops

idiom

To tell everyone about something because you are very excited or proud of it.

Maya got the job and shouted the news from the rooftops.

When Brian won the prize, he shouted it from the rooftops.

shout — noun

Word family

  • shouter
    nounC1
  • shouting
    nounB2
  • shouty
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe making a loud sound with the voice, but they differ in intensity, pitch, and purpose. Yell is the closest synonym — it is widely interchangeable with 'shout' in everyday speech, though 'yell' often carries a slightly angrier or more urgent tone ('He yelled at the kids to stop running'). Scream implies a sharper, higher-pitched sound, typically from fear, terror, or extreme excitement, and is rarely used for ordinary distance communication ('The crowd screamed when the roller coaster dropped'). Cry out suggests a sudden, involuntary shout caused by pain, shock, or surprise ('She cried out when she stepped on the broken glass') and is less common for deliberate communication. Call out is the mildest of the four — it usually means to say something loudly enough to be heard, without the full volume or strong emotion of 'shout' ('He called out her name from across the park'). For example, you might call out to a friend across the street, but you shout at a sports match.

yell ↗scream ↗cry out ↗call out ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • give a shout
  • let out a shout
  • it's my shout
  • shout someone a drink
  • a shout of joy

Prepositions

Etymology

ScandinavianMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'shout' appeared in Middle English around the 1300s, spelled 'shouten' or 'schowten'. Its origin is uncertain, but it may come from an Old Scandinavian word 'skúta', meaning to scold or chide. The basic idea — making a loud call with the voice — has remained unchanged for over seven centuries. The informal British sense of buying a round of drinks emerged later, in the 20th century, from the idea of 'shouting' an order at a bar.