squeal
/skwil/noun, verb
squeal is spelled S-Q-U-E-A-L: 6 letters and one syllable. It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 35,748th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, squeal means “A high-pitched sound, such as the scream of a child or a female person, or noisy worn-down brake pads” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of squeal is squeals.
How many letters and syllables are in squeal?
| Letters | 6: S-Q-U-E-A-L |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 35,748th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is squeal?
Squeal appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 35,748th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce squeal?
- UK /skwiːl/
- US /skwil/
- Australia /skwiːl/
Squeal has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-au-squeal.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with squeal?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as squeal from its last stressed vowel (/il/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: equals.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of squeal
- squeals plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- squealing participle, present
- squealed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does squeal mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A high-pitched sound, such as the scream of a child or a female person, or noisy worn-down brake pads.
- 2
The cry of a pig.
verb
- 1
To scream with a shrill, prolonged sound.
The children squealed with delight while opening their Christmas presents.
- 2
To make a squealing noise. (of an object)
The brakes squeal terribly.
- 3
slangTo give sensitive information about someone to a third party; to rat on someone.
You'd better not squeal on me to the cops.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Squeal in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | crissement , crier, hurler, crisser , dénoncer, balancer |
| German | Schrei, Kreischen, Quieken , kreischen, quieken , singen |
| Portuguese | guincho |
| Spanish | chillido, chirrido, rechinido, rechinar, rechino , chillar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does squeal come from?
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”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).