scream
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scream
- /skɹiːm/ UK
Rhymes with -iːm
Where it comes from
Inherited from Middle English scremen, borrowed from or cognate with Middle Dutch scremen (“to yell; shout”) and Old Norse skræma (“to terrify; scare”); compare West Flemish schreemen, Zealandic schreême (“to shout; yell; cry”), Swedish skrämma (“to spook; frighten”), Danish skræmme (“to scare”), West Frisian skrieme (“to weep”). Compare also Swedish skräna (“to yell; shout; howl”), Dutch schreien (“to cry; weep”), German schreien (“to scream”). Related to shriek, skrike.
noun screams
- A loud, emphatic, exclamation of extreme emotion, especially horror, fear, excitement, or anger; it may comprise a word or a sustained, high-pitched vowel sound.
- A loud vocalisation of many animals, especially in response to pain or fear. I am tender-hearted by nature, and have found my eyes moist many a time over the scream of a wounded hare.
- A form of singing associated with the metal and screamo styles of music. It is a loud, rough, distorted version of the voice; rather than the normal voice of the singer.
- Used as an intensifier. We had a real scream of a time at the beach.
- An exclamation mark.
verb screams · screaming · screamed · screamt
-
To cry out with a shrill voice; to utter a sudden, sharp outcry, or shrill, loud cry, as in fright or extreme pain; to screech, to shriek.
I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry.
Similar: call, cry, holler, halloo, roar, howl, roop, scream, shout, yell
-
To move quickly; to race.
He almost hit a pole, the way he came screaming down the hill.
Similar: speed, zoom, hightail, move quickly, skedaddle, fly, scramble, get a move on, hasten, haul, hurtle, bustle
- To be very indicative of; clearly having the characteristics of. Do you know what screams "I’m obnoxious"? People who feel the need to comment on every little thing they notice.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: shriek, holler, yell, shrieking, shout, screech, screeching, hollo, cry, riot, wow, belly laugh, thigh-slapper, shout out, squall, howler
Translations
Every language
noun loud exclamation
| Español | grito, alarido, baladro |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 비명 bimyeong, 소리 sori, 절규 jeolgyu |
| 日本語 | 悲鳴 himei |
| 中文 | 喊聲 /喊声 hǎnshēng |
| Kiswahili | nduru |
| Português | grito, berro |
| Français | cri |
| Deutsch | Schrei |
| Italiano | urlo, grido |
| Ελληνικά | ξεφωνητό xefonitó, κραυγή kravgí, ουρλιαχτό ourliachtó, φωνή τρόμου foní trómou, φωνή πόνου foní pónou, οξεία κραυγή oxeía kravgí |
| Română | strigăt, țipat |
| Русский | крик krik, вопль voplʹ, визг vizg |
| العربية | صرخة ṣarkha |
| עברית | צרחה tsrachá |
verb to make the sound of a scream
| Español | gritar, alaridar, desgañitarse, desgañifarse, desgalillarse, huchear |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 소리지르다 sorijireuda |
| 日本語 | 悲鳴を上げる himei o ageru, 喚く wameku, 怒鳴り付ける donaritsukeru, キャーと叫ぶ kyā to sakebu |
| 中文 | 叫喊 jiàohǎn, 嗷叫 áojiào, 尖叫 jiānjiào |
| Kiswahili | kulia |
| Português | gritar, berrar |
| Français | crier |
| Deutsch | schreien |
| Italiano | gridare, sbraitare, urlare |
| Ελληνικά | φωνάζω fonázo, ουρλιάζω ourliázo, κραυγάζω kravgázo, ωρύομαι orýomai, ξεφωνίζω xefonízo, σκούζω skoúzo |
| Română | țipa, striga, urla |
| Русский | крича́ть kričátʹ |
| العربية | صَرَخَ ṣaraḵa |
| עברית | צרח tsarách |
Talk about this word "scream." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/scream. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. scream. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/scream "scream." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/scream.Cite this
@misc{scream_2026,
title = {scream},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/scream},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
