screeching

adjective

screech·​ing ˈskrē-chiŋ How to pronounce screeching (audio)
: abrupt, sudden
her career came to a screeching halt

Examples of screeching in a Sentence

the screeching blast of the factory whistle hurt my ears
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
One of dancehall’s biggest stars who had collaborated with artists such as Busta Rhymes and Fat Joe, Buju Banton’s career came to a screeching halt in 2009 when he was arrested in Sarasota and convicted in 2011. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025 Events like fires, floods, snowstorms, hurricanes and tornadoes can bring companies to a screeching halt by damaging facilities and even jeopardizing employees' lives. Niki Jorgensen, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025 But that came to a screeching halt during a winter ski trip with his family when Quesnell suffered a compression fracture of a vertebra in his back and a break in the bottom right loop of his hip. Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 May 2025 The game came to a screeching halt in the top of the sixth. Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for screeching

Word History

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of screeching was in 1904

Cite this Entry

“Screeching.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/screeching. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

screeching

adjective
screech·​ing ˈskrē-chiŋ How to pronounce screeching (audio)
: sudden sense 1a
her career came to a screeching halt

More from Merriam-Webster on screeching

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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