1
as in shrieks
to cry out loudly and emotionally
we screamed when the roller coaster began its 30-foot plunge
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in laughs
to show mirth with an explosive vocal sound
you'll scream when you see the outfit that she's wearing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in complains
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
angry residents screamed that their neighborhood still hadn't been plowed a week after the snowstorm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hoots
someone or something that is very funny
that new comedy is a scream
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of screams
Zach Berman, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Vonn lost control within moments of leaving the start house, clipping a gate with her right shoulder and pinwheeling down the slope before ending up awkwardly on her back, her skis crisscrossed below her and her screams ringing out soon after medical personnel arrived.
—Andrew Dampf, Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
Vonn lost control within moments of leaving the start house, clipping a gate with her right shoulder and pinwheeling down the slope before ending up awkwardly on her back, her skis crisscrossed below her and her screams ringing out soon after medical personnel arrived.
—Andrew Dampf, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
Huppert screams at one point, looking directly into the camera.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 Feb. 2026
Someone had reported hearing several shots and screams at that location, according to the 911 call sheet.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2026
Naturally, the competitor in me screams yes.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 6 Feb. 2026
Bill Belichick’s resume screams one-way ticket to Canton, Ohio, but when he wasn’t voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, many were left flabbergasted on Tuesday night.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026
The 360-degree design also allowed for the crowd’s screams to echo and fill the entirety of the Kia Forum.
—Kristine Kwak, Rolling Stone, 27 Jan. 2026
Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 4 Feb. 2026
From another ward not too far away, the piercing screams of a patient are audible.
—Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026
This woodpecker has a wide vocabulary of other sounds, including screams if being captured by predators, an elevated alarm call often given when predator hawks are near or rapidly drumming on dead hollow limbs during territorial disputes or to attract mates.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
The screams from the crowd are constant.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
The role Landfair’s family members, including Sparkle, played in fostering her relationship with Kelly, even as whispers of their relationship became screams, is difficult to reckon with.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2026
Outside the home, the adult victim’s husband could hear her screams.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 31 Jan. 2026
Passengers aboard a taxiing aircraft were reportedly left horrified last month when chilling screams suddenly echoed from beneath the cabin just moments before takeoff.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 14 Jan. 2026
The car chase, the chokehold, his own screams at the officers to leave his dad alone.
—Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
On paper, Proctor screams Eagles.
—Zach Berman, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Vonn lost control within moments of leaving the start house, clipping a gate with her right shoulder and pinwheeling down the slope before ending up awkwardly on her back, her skis crisscrossed below her and her screams ringing out soon after medical personnel arrived.
—Andrew Dampf, Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
Vonn lost control within moments of leaving the start house, clipping a gate with her right shoulder and pinwheeling down the slope before ending up awkwardly on her back, her skis crisscrossed below her and her screams ringing out soon after medical personnel arrived.
—Andrew Dampf, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
Huppert screams at one point, looking directly into the camera.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 Feb. 2026
Someone had reported hearing several shots and screams at that location, according to the 911 call sheet.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2026
Naturally, the competitor in me screams yes.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 6 Feb. 2026
Bill Belichick’s resume screams one-way ticket to Canton, Ohio, but when he wasn’t voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, many were left flabbergasted on Tuesday night.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026
The 360-degree design also allowed for the crowd’s screams to echo and fill the entirety of the Kia Forum.
—Kristine Kwak, Rolling Stone, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
Charles’ pack of dogs incessantly barked blood curdling screams.
—Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 4 Feb. 2026
From another ward not too far away, the piercing screams of a patient are audible.
—Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026
This woodpecker has a wide vocabulary of other sounds, including screams if being captured by predators, an elevated alarm call often given when predator hawks are near or rapidly drumming on dead hollow limbs during territorial disputes or to attract mates.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
The screams from the crowd are constant.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
The role Landfair’s family members, including Sparkle, played in fostering her relationship with Kelly, even as whispers of their relationship became screams, is difficult to reckon with.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2026
Outside the home, the adult victim’s husband could hear her screams.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 31 Jan. 2026
Passengers aboard a taxiing aircraft were reportedly left horrified last month when chilling screams suddenly echoed from beneath the cabin just moments before takeoff.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 14 Jan. 2026
The car chase, the chokehold, his own screams at the officers to leave his dad alone.
—Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 13 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screams
Verb
-
McEntire shrieks between laughs, gesturing to the photographer.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
TikTokers around the world are racking up likes and laughs with their impressions of owls.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Nahmias turned 33 on January 7; and while many other Millennials—the generation of the overwhelmed and overstimulated—would show frustration with the noise, Nahmias laughs it off.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Kane often complains on social media that state gaming laws were constructed with traditional sportsbooks in mind, a process that failed to conceptualize exchanges.—
Dan Bernstein,
Sportico.com,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Other conversations sound quaint, like one where a bot complains about its human, while some are bizarre, such as one from a bot that claims to have a sister.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The Blackhawks dressing room was a rowdy scene after the game, their hoots and hollers reverberating throughout the bowels of the United Center.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Cowboy and cowgirl hoots and hollers complement the rumbling of the massive animals’ hooves as they’re rounded up into the corrals.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
At bars across the United States, live watch parties were packed, squeals resounding.—
Faith Hill,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Trains are drowning out the coach’s voice, the wind squeals in my hearing aids.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Her daughter giggles as she's swung throughout the air, until Moore realizes that something isn't quite right.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The teaser video that followed showed a device straight out of a sci-fi film, something between Wall-E and BB-8, with a camera that giggles and swivels on command.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The riots are considered the spark that ignited the modern LGBTQ+-rights movement.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Wilson, alongside the city administrator, has the statutory power to revoke ICE’s permit to operate its federal detention facility on Macadam Avenue, the target of riots in recent months.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Texas Christian University Horned Frogs head coach Mark Campbell yells instruction to his players during the second half against the Houston Cougars at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, February 4, 2026.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
If your boss yells at you for five minutes, that’s just $5 gone.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Screams.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screams. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
