shrieklike

Shrieklike is an English adjective used to describe something that resembles or has the qualities of a shriek: a sharp, high-pitched, sudden cry. It is often used for sounds, voices, or noises that are piercing, startling, or intense.

Etymology and orthography: derived from shriek, combined with the suffix -like. Common spellings include shrieklike and shriek-like; hyphenation varies by style guide.

Usage: in literary criticism, film and music reviews, and everyday description, shrieklike conveys a sense of urgency or alarm. A shrieklike scream, shrieklike wail, or shrieklike alarms can evoke fear, tension, or panic. It can also be used metaphorically to describe non-auditory phenomena with a similar intensity, for example 'a shrieklike tone of voice' or 'shrieklike urgency in the scene.'

Relation to similar terms: shrill indicates high-pitched but not necessarily resembling a scream; piercing emphasizes intensity of sound. Shrieklike differs by foregrounding resemblance to a scream rather than simply high pitch.

See also: shriek, shrill, scream, sound design, onomatopoeia.