Screaming — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ˈskrē-miŋ/ scream·ing

Meaning & Definition of Screaming

Screaming (adjective)

  1. so striking or conspicuous as to attract notice as if by screaming
  2. so funny as to provoke screams of laughter
  3. extremely fast or powerful

Screaming (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. arousing a strong and usually superficial interest or emotional reaction

    "screaming headlines about the latest showbiz scandal"

    similar: catchpenny, gee-whiz, lurid, sensational, sensationalist, sensationalistic
    related: catchy, colorful, juicy, racy, suggestive, dramatic, histrionic, melodramatic, theatrical, coarse, vulgar, gory, shocking
    opposite: nonsensational
    near: innocuous, inoffensive, tame, dignified, formal, proper, restrained

  2. causing or intended to cause laughter

    "a screaming picture of everyone making silly faces"

    similar: antic, chucklesome, comedic, comic, comical, droll, farcical, funny, hilarious, humoristic, humorous, hysterical, killing, laughable, ludicrous, ridiculous, riotous, risible, sidesplitting, uproarious
    related: amusing, diverting, entertaining, clownish, knockabout, slapstick, slapsticky, zany, facetious, flip, flippant, pert, smart, smart-aleck, smart-alecky, snickery, jocular, playful, waggish, campy, jokey, priceless, rich, whimsical, witty, wry, blithesome, gleeful, jocose, jocund, jolly, jovial, laughing, mad, merry, mirthful
    opposite: humorless, lame, unamusing, uncomic, unfunny, unhumorous, unhysterical
    near: earnest, grave, no-nonsense, sedate, serious, severe, sober, sobersided, solemn, somber, staid, unsmiling, weighty, affecting, moving, poignant, touching, tragic, lachrymose, mournful, sad, sorrowful, tearful, woeful

Screaming (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to cry out loudly and emotionally

    "we screamed when the roller coaster began its 30-foot plunge"

    similar: howling, screeching, shrieking, shrilling, squalling, squealing, yelling, yelping
    related: baying, caterwauling, keening, squawking, wailing, yawping, yowling, bawling, calling, crying, hollering, shouting, thundering, vociferating
    near: murmuring, muttering, whispering

  2. to show mirth with an explosive vocal sound

    "you'll scream when you see the outfit that she's wearing"

    similar: breaking up, cackling, chortling, chuckling, cracking up, giggling, hee-hawing, laughing, roaring, snickering, tittering, twittering, splitting one's sides
    related: grinning, smiling
    near: bawling, blubbering, crying, sobbing, weeping, howling, squalling, wailing, yowling, bleating, puling, whimpering, whining, sniffling, sniveling, groaning, moaning, sighing

  3. to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely

    "angry residents screamed that their neighborhood still hadn't been plowed a week after the snowstorm"

    similar: beefing, bellyaching, bitching, bleating, carping, caterwauling, complaining, crabbing, croaking, fussing, griping, grizzling, grouching, grousing, growling, grumbling, grumping, hollering, inveighing, keening, kicking, kvetching, maundering (chiefly British), moaning, murmuring, muttering, nagging, repining, squawking, squealing, wailing, whimpering, whinging (British), whining, yammering, yawping, yowling, kicking up a fuss
    related: objecting (to), protesting, quarreling (with), caviling, quibbling, fretting, stewing, worrying, blubbering, crying, sobbing, bemoaning, bewailing, deploring, lamenting
    opposite: crowing, delighting, rejoicing
    near: accepting, bearing, countenancing, enduring, taking, tolerating, applauding, cheering, commending

Related Entry: Scream (verb)

Scream is a different word from Screaming. The synonyms below are for scream, not for screaming.

  1. to cry out loudly and emotionally

    "we screamed when the roller coaster began its 30-foot plunge"

    similar: howl, screech, shriek, shrill, squall, squeal, yell, yelp
    related: bay, caterwaul, keen, squawk, wail, yawp, yowl, bawl, call, cry, holler, shout, thunder, vociferate
    near: murmur, mutter, whisper

  2. to show mirth with an explosive vocal sound

    "you'll scream when you see the outfit that she's wearing"

    similar: break up, cackle, chortle, chuckle, crack up, giggle, hee-haw, laugh, roar, snicker, titter, twitter, split one's sides
    related: grin, smile
    near: bawl, blubber, cry, sob, weep, howl, squall, wail, yowl, bleat, pule, whimper, whine, sniffle, snivel, groan, moan, sigh

  3. to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely

    "angry residents screamed that their neighborhood still hadn't been plowed a week after the snowstorm"

    similar: beef, bellyache, bitch, bleat, carp, caterwaul, complain, crab, croak, fuss, gripe, grizzle, grouch, grouse, growl, grumble, grump, holler, inveigh, keen, kick, kvetch, maunder (chiefly British), moan, murmur, mutter, nag, repine, squawk, squeal, wail, whimper, whine, whinge (British), yammer, yawp, yowl, kick up a fuss
    related: object (to), protest, quarrel (with), cavil, quibble, fret, stew, worry, blubber, cry, sob, bemoan, bewail, deplore, lament
    opposite: crow, delight, rejoice
    near: accept, bear, countenance, endure, take, tolerate, applaud, cheer, commend

Related Entry: Screaming meemies (plural noun)

Screaming meemies is a different word from Screaming. The synonyms below are for screaming meemies, not for screaming.

  1. a sense of panic or extreme nervousness

    "had the screaming meemies on his wedding day"

    similar: butterflies, dither, heebie-jeebies, jimjams, jitters, nerves, shakes, shivers, whim-whams, willies
    related: cold sweat, creeps, fidgets, goose bumps, agitation, anxiety, fear, hysteria, uneasiness, frazzle, nervous breakdown, edginess, jumpiness, skittishness
    near: aplomb, calm, composure, equanimity, imperturbability, self-possession, tranquility

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Screaming

The most common words with a similar meaning to Screaming:

Chiefly British: maundering
British: whinging
catchpenny, gee-whiz, lurid, sensational, sensationalist, sensationalistic, antic, chucklesome, comedic, comic, comical, droll, farcical, funny, hilarious, humoristic, humorous, hysterical, killing, laughable, ludicrous, ridiculous, riotous, risible, sidesplitting, uproarious, howling, screeching, shrieking, shrilling, squalling, squealing, yelling, yelping, breaking up, cackling, chortling, chuckling, cracking up, giggling

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Screaming

Words with the opposite meaning of Screaming:

nonsensational, humorless, lame, unamusing, uncomic, unfunny, unhumorous, unhysterical, crowing, delighting, rejoicing

Related Words for Screaming

catchy, colorful, juicy, racy, suggestive, dramatic, histrionic, melodramatic, theatrical, coarse, vulgar, gory, shocking, amusing, diverting, entertaining, clownish, knockabout, slapstick, slapsticky, zany, facetious, flip, flippant, pert, smart, smart-aleck, smart-alecky, snickery, jocular

Near Antonyms of Screaming

innocuous, inoffensive, tame, dignified, formal, proper, restrained, earnest, grave, no-nonsense, sedate, serious, severe, sober, sobersided, solemn, somber, staid, unsmiling, weighty, affecting, moving, poignant, touching, tragic, lachrymose, mournful, sad, sorrowful, tearful

Word Forms of Screaming

Derived words: screamingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Screaming

First known use: 1848

Words & Phrases Containing Screaming

screaming meemies, drag kicking and screaming

Frequently Asked Questions about Screaming

What does "Screaming" mean?

"Screaming" means so striking or conspicuous as to attract notice as if by screaming. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: so striking or conspicuous as to attract notice as if by screaming. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Screaming"?

Other words for "Screaming" include catchpenny, gee-whiz, lurid, sensational, sensationalist, sensationalistic, antic and chucklesome. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Screaming" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Screaming"?

There are 155 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Screaming". Common alternatives include catchpenny, gee-whiz, lurid, sensational, sensationalist, sensationalistic, antic, chucklesome, comedic and comic.

What is the opposite of "Screaming"?

Antonyms of "Screaming" include nonsensational, humorless, lame, unamusing, uncomic, unfunny, unhumorous and unhysterical. Near antonyms include innocuous, inoffensive, tame and dignified.

How do you use "Screaming" in a sentence?

Examples of "Screaming" in a sentence: "screaming headlines about the latest showbiz scandal"; "a screaming picture of everyone making silly faces"; "we screamed when the roller coaster began its 30-foot plunge".

Is "Screaming" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Screaming" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Screaming"?

"Screaming" is pronounced /ˈskrē-miŋ/ and divided into syllables as scream·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Screaming"?

First known use: 1848.