screaming

US: (skrē′ming)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

scream•ing  (skrē′ming), adj. 

1. uttering screams.
2. boldly striking or startling:
   screaming colors; screaming headlines.
3. causing hilarious laughter;
   extremely funny:
   a screaming farce.

n. 

4. the act or sound of a person or thing that screams.

• 1350–1400; Middle English (gerund, gerundive); see scream, -ing², -ing¹

scream′ing•ly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

scream /skrim/  v. 

1. to make a loud, sharp cry: [no object]
   screamed with fright.
   [~ + object]
   screamed her answer to him.
   [used with quotations]
   "Get out of here!'' she screamed.
2. to give off a loud, piercing sound:
   [no object] The sirens screamed.

n. [countable]

3. a loud, sharp, piercing cry:
   screams from inside the apartment.
4. a shrill, piercing sound:
   the scream of the jet planes.
5. Informal Terms someone or something that is very funny:
   [countable* usually singular;

   usually: a + ~]

   Those comedians are a scream.

scream•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

scream  (skrēm), v.i. 

1. to utter a loud, sharp, piercing cry.
2. to emit a shrill, piercing sound:
   The sirens and whistles screamed.
3. to laugh immoderately or uncontrollably:
   The comedian had the audience screaming.
4. to shout or speak shrilly, esp. with harsh or exaggerated words:
   They screamed across the back fence.
5. to play or sing in a high, loud, harsh manner.
6. to be conspicuous or startling:
   That red dress really screams.

v.t. 

7. to utter with or as if with a scream or screams.
8. to make by screaming:
   to scream oneself hoarse.

n. 

9. a loud, sharp, piercing cry:
   Her scream frightened off the burglar.
10. a shrill, piercing sound:
    the scream of the tires as the car rounded the curve.
11. Informal Terms someone or something that is hilariously funny:
    The movie was a scream.

• 1150–1200; 1905–10 for def. 11; Middle English screamen (verb, verbal), Old English *scrǣman; akin to Old Norse skraumi chatterbox, braggart, skruma to jabber; sc- (for regular sh- as in Middle English shreame) from obsolete scritch to screech

Synonyms

• 1. Scream, shriek, screech apply to crying out in a loud, piercing way. To scream is to utter a loud, piercing cry, esp. of pain, fear, anger, or excitement:
  to scream with terror.
  The word is used also for a little, barely audible cry given by one who is startled.
  Shriek usually refers to a sharper and briefer cry than scream;
  when caused by fear or pain, it is often indicative of more terror or distress; shriek is also used for shrill uncontrolled cries:
  to shriek with laughter.
  Screech emphasizes disagreeable shrillness and harshness, often with a connotation of lack of dignity:
  to screech approval at a rock concert.
• 9. outcry, shriek, screech, screak.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

scream / skriːm/ verb

1. to utter or emit (a sharp piercing cry or similar sound or sounds), esp as of fear, pain, etc
2. (intransitive) to laugh wildly
3. (intransitive) to speak, shout, or behave in a wild or impassioned manner
4. (transitive) to bring (oneself) into a specified state by screaming: she screamed herself hoarse
5. (intransitive) to be extremely conspicuous: these orange curtains scream, you need more restful colours in a bedroom

noun

1. a sharp piercing cry or sound, esp one denoting fear or pain
2. a person or thing that causes great amusement

Etymology: 13th Century: from Germanic; compare Middle Dutch schreem, West Frisian skrieme to weep