Meanings
plural squeals
- A high-pitched sound, such as the scream of a child or a female person, or noisy worn-down brake pads.
- The cry of a pig.
present singular third person squeals · participle present squealing · participle past squealed · past squealed
- To make a squealing noise. (of an object)
The brakes squeal terribly.
1 more example
We continue through suburban Newcastle along the edge of the Tyne, before squealing around the tight curves onto the magnificent High Level bridge, which affords glorious views across Newcastle and along the river before arriving at journey's end.
2022 November 30, Paul Bigland, “Destination Oban: a Sunday in Scotland”, in RAIL, number 971, page 75 - intransitiveslangTo give sensitive information about someone to a third party; to rat on someone.
You'd better not squeal on me to the cops.
Synonyms: inform
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo give sensitive information about someone to a third party; to rat on someone.
More synonyms by meaning
verbconfess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*skel-
- Proto-Germanic*skwel-“to chatter, babble, scream”
- Old Norseskvala“to squeal, bawl”
- Middle Englishsquelen
- Englishsqueal
Inherited from Middle English squelen, probably from Old Norse skvala (“to squeal, bawl”), from Proto-Germanic *skwel- (“to chatter, babble, scream”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *skel-, from *kelh₁- (“to ring, resound, cry”). Compare Old Norse skval (“a squeal”, noun), Swedish skvallra (“to babble, chatter, tell on”).
More words from Middle English, Old Norse, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian писък, крясък
- писък (pisăk)a high-pitched sound
- крясък (krjasăk)a high-pitched sound
- пискам (piskam)to scream a high-pitched squeal
- врещя (vreštja)to scream a high-pitched squeal
- доноснича (donosniča)to rat on someone
Chinese Mandarin 尖聲啼哭 /尖声啼哭
- 尖聲啼哭 /尖声啼哭 (jiānshēngtíkū)to scream a high-pitched squeal
Czech jekot, zaječení
- jekota high-pitched sound
- zaječenía high-pitched sound
- ječenía high-pitched sound
- pištěnía high-pitched sound
- zapištěnía high-pitched sound
- ječetto scream a high-pitched squeal
- zaječetto scream a high-pitched squeal
- pištětto scream a high-pitched squeal
- zapištětto scream a high-pitched squeal
- vřískatto scream a high-pitched squeal
- zavřískatto scream a high-pitched squeal
- kvičetto scream a high-pitched squeal
- zakvičetto scream a high-pitched squeal
- bonzovatto rat on someone
- práskatto rat on someone
Dutch snierken, krijsen
- snierkento scream a high-pitched squeal
- krijsento scream a high-pitched squeal
Finnish vingahdus, kiljahdus
- vingahdusa high-pitched sound
- kiljahdusa high-pitched sound
- vinkuato scream a high-pitched squeal
- kiljuato scream a high-pitched squeal
- vasikoidato rat on someone
French crissement, crier
- crissementa high-pitched sound
- crierto scream a high-pitched squeal
- hurlerto scream a high-pitched squeal
- crisserto scream a high-pitched squeal
- dénoncerto rat on someone
- balancerto rat on someone
- moutonnerto rat on someone
- cafterto rat on someone
German Schrei, Kreischen
- Schreia high-pitched sound
- Kreischena high-pitched sound
- Quiekena high-pitched sound
- kreischento scream a high-pitched squeal
- quiekento scream a high-pitched squeal
- singento rat on someone
- petzento rat on someone
Greek στριγκλιά, τσίριγμα
- στριγκλιά (strigkliá)a high-pitched sound
- τσίριγμα (tsírigma)a high-pitched sound
- στριγκλίζω (strigklízo)to scream a high-pitched squeal
- τσιρίζω (tsirízo)to scream a high-pitched squeal
- προδίδω (prodído)to rat on someone
- καρφώνω (karfóno)to rat on someone
Hungarian visít, sivít
- visítto scream a high-pitched squeal
- sivítto scream a high-pitched squeal
- beárulto rat on someone
- beköpto rat on someone
- besúgto rat on someone
- befújto rat on someone
- spicliskedikto rat on someone
Irish sceamh, sceamh
- sceamha high-pitched sound
- sceamhto scream a high-pitched squeal
Italian strillare, urlare
- strillareto scream a high-pitched squeal
- urlareto scream a high-pitched squeal
- guaireto scream a high-pitched squeal
- gridare con voce stridulato scream a high-pitched squeal
- cantareto rat on someone
- fare la spiato rat on someone
- spifferareto rat on someone
Māori ngawī, ngangī
- ngawīa high-pitched sound
- ngangīa high-pitched sound
- pūkototo scream a high-pitched squeal
- ngawīto scream a high-pitched squeal
- ngatīto scream a high-pitched squeal
- wēto scream a high-pitched squeal
- ngangīto scream a high-pitched squeal
Polish donosić, kapować
- donosićto rat on someone
- kapowaćto rat on someone
Portuguese guincho
- guinchoa high-pitched sound
Russian визг, скре́жет
- визг (vizg)a high-pitched sound
- скре́жет (skréžet)a high-pitched sound
- скрип (skrip)a high-pitched sound
- визжа́ть (vizžátʹ)to scream a high-pitched squeal
- вереща́ть (vereščátʹ)to scream a high-pitched squeal
- стуча́ть (stučátʹ)to rat on someone
- доноси́ть (donosítʹ)to rat on someone
Scottish Gaelic sgal, sgal
- sgala high-pitched sound
- sgalto scream a high-pitched squeal
Spanish chillido, chirrido
- chillidoa high-pitched sound
- chirridoa high-pitched sound
- rechinidoa high-pitched sound
- rechinara high-pitched sound
- rechinoa high-pitched sound
- chillarto scream a high-pitched squeal
- chillarto rat on someone
- delatarto rat on someone
- chivarseto rat on someone
- pegar un chivatazoto rat on someone
- botonearto rat on someone
- buchonearto rat on someone
Swedish skrik, skri
- skrika high-pitched sound
- skria high-pitched sound
- skrikato scream a high-pitched squeal
- tjallato rat on someone
- golato rat on someone
- skvallrato rat on someone
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with squeal
Anagrams
Cite this entry
squeal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/squeal
“squeal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/squeal. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “squeal,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/squeal.
Source: squeal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.