From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishshrillshrill1 /ʃrɪl/ adjective 1 CSHIGH SOUND OR VOICEa shrill sound is very high and unpleasant ‘That’s not true, ’ she protested in a shrill voice. a shrill whistle Fran uttered a shrill scream.► see thesaurus at high2 UNFAIRshrill complaints, criticism, demands etc are too loud or strong and seem unreasonable He hated the shrill demands of the children. —shrillness noun [uncountable] —shrilly /ˈʃrɪl-li, ˈʃrɪli/ adverb
Examples from the Corpus
shrill• As Sophie became angry her voice got shriller.• His supporters are no less shrill.• The unexpected shrill blast of sound had sent a jolt of adrenaline through me and my heart was pounding.• History will likely dismiss the shrill cries of the last few weeks and remember Dole as a steady voice of moderation.• The media's shrill criticism of Newton has reached a new level.• Does this shrill din really emanate from the top Praga Khan and Jade 4U?• Sylvie burst out in a shrill laugh before leaving the room.• She gave a brief, shrill laugh.• Bates plays Kushnick with shrill, profane gusto, literally scorching the earth with her incendiary lungs.• I was suddenly woken up by the shrill ringing of the telephone.• Mike could hear his aunt's shrill voice downstairs.• He heard what sounded like a stifled cry of pain from a shriller voice; then the commotion beside him resumed once more.• A shrill whistle is blown angrily by a shivering soldier, a sentry at the tomb.• Pushell's voice was shrill with frustration as Blanche led him out.shrillshrill2 verb 1 [intransitive] writtenHIGH SOUND OR VOICE to produce a very high and unpleasant sound The telephone shrilled twice.2 [transitive]SAY/STATE to say something in a very high voice ‘I hate you!’ she shrilled.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
shrill• "Stop it!" she shrilled.• The metal detector shrilled as Whitney attempted to walk through.• The sound of the telephone shrilling by the side of her bed brought her gasping back to wakefulness.• It let out that high-pitched whine, that shrill insistent nagging squeal that puts a burglar right off his feed.• The larvae of the cicadas that sit shrilling on trees spend their lives below ground sucking sap from roots.• On the first Saturday of the month Merrill's telephone rang, shrilling through the morning silence and making her jump.• They could not be forced away, but came on in ever greater numbers, shrilling with pain and anger. 