How to pronounce shrill
Say it like SHRIL. Shrill is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce shrill. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SHRIL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Shrill pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHRILSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of shrill
American and British speakers say shrill in essentially the same way: /ʃrɪl/ in the US and /ʃrɪl/ in the UK.
British respelling: SHRIL.
What does shrill mean?
- To make a shrill noise.
- High-pitched and piercing.“The woods rang with shrill cries of the birds.”
- Having a shrill voice.
- Sharp or keen to the senses.
- A shrill sound.
Where does shrill come from?
The word is cognate with Icelandic skella (“crash, bang, slam”), Low German schrell (“sharp in taste or tone”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with shrill
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of shrill.
Questions about saying shrill
How do you pronounce shrill?
Say SHRIL. The American pronunciation is /ʃrɪl/. In British English it is /ʃrɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in shrill?
Shrill is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SHRIL.
Do Americans and Brits say shrill the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ʃrɪl/ and the British form is /ʃrɪl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.