schrill
shrill
Describes a very high-pitched, piercing, and often unpleasant tone or sound.
EXAMPLE
Der schrille Pfiff der Trillerpfeife tat in den Ohren weh.
The shrill whistle of the referee's whistle hurt his ears.
schrill
shrill
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Meanings
schrill
garish
Describes colors or an appearance that is extremely conspicuous, bright, and often tasteless.
EXAMPLE
Sie trug ein schrilles Outfit in Neongrün und Pink.
She wore a garish outfit in neon green and pink.
schrill
loud / eccentric
Describes a person or their behavior as exaggerated, eccentric, and loud in order to attract attention.
EXAMPLE
Mit ihrer schrillen Lache und den bunten Haaren fiel sie überall auf.
With her loud laugh and colorful hair, she stood out everywhere.
Usage tips
Context clue
The meaning of 'schrill' depends on the noun it describes. If it refers to a sound, it means 'high-pitched and piercing.' If it describes colors or clothing, it means 'garish and conspicuous.' For a person, it describes eccentric behavior.
EXAMPLE
Der schrille Alarm weckte das ganze Haus.
The shrill alarm woke the whole house.
Typical collocations: sound
In the acoustic meaning, 'schrill' is often combined with sounds that are unpleasant to the ear. Typical phrases are 'eine schrille Stimme' (a shrill voice), 'ein schriller Pfiff' (a shrill whistle), or 'ein schriller Alarmton' (a shrill alarm tone).
EXAMPLE
Das Baby fing an, schrill zu schreien.
The baby started screaming shrilly.
Typical collocations: appearance
When it comes to appearance, 'schrill' describes something visually overloaded. Common combinations are 'schrille Farben' (garish colors), 'ein schrilles Outfit' (a garish outfit), or 'schrilles Make-up' (garish makeup).
EXAMPLE
Die Wände waren in schrillen Farben gestrichen.
The walls were painted in garish colors.
Compare with
schrill vs schreiend
screaming / glaring
Schreiend and schrill can both be associated with a loud voice. Schreiend means that someone is currently letting out a loud cry. Schrill, by contrast, describes the very high-pitched, piercing, and often unpleasant quality of a voice or sound.
schrill
Das Kind rief mit schriller Stimme aus dem dunklen Zimmer.
The child called out from the dark room in a shrill voice.
schreiend
Das Kind lief schreiend aus dem dunklen Zimmer.
The child ran screaming out of the dark room.
In real life
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