To cry out with shrill voice; give vent or utterance to a sharp or piercing outcry; utter shrill cries, as in fright or extreme pain, delight, etc.To give out a shrill sound: as, the railway whistle screamed.n. A sharp, piercing sound or cry, as one uttered in fright, pain, etc.n. A sharp, harsh sound.n. Synonyms Scream, Shriek, Screech. A shriek is sharper, more sudden, and, when due to fear or pain, indicative of more terror or distress than a scream. Screech emphasizes the disagreeableness of the sharpness or shrillness, and its lack of dignity in a person. It is more distinctly figurative to speak of the shriek of a locomotive than to speak of its scream or screech.