squeal

/skwiːl/

//skwiːl// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"squeal" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“squeal” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #35,955 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#35,955
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
9
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A high-pitched sound, such as the scream of a child or a female person, or noisy worn-down brake pads.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

squeal vs steal
67% similar
squeal vs seal
67% similar
squeal vs squad
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for squeal
PropertyValue
Headwordsqueal
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/skwiːl/
Letters6
Frequency rank#35,955
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs9
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “squeal” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). squeal lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for squeal is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /skwiːl/. Corpus data places it at rank #35,955 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for squeal, with forms such as "qsueal", "sqeual", and "sqqueal". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 9 confusable-pair relationships, "steal", "seal", "squad", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: 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 (… The correct English form is squeal, spelled S-Q-U-E-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    A high-pitched sound, such as the scream of a child or a female person, or noisy worn-down brake pads.
  2. 2
    The cry of a pig.

Etymology

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”).

This word in other languages

chirrido(Español)crissement(Français)Schrei(Deutsch)guincho(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: qsueal,sqeual,sqqueal,squael,squeall,squela,ssqueal,suqeal

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of squeal - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

qsueal2sqeual2sqqueal1squael2squeall1squela2ssqueal1suqeal2
Edit distance from "squeal"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "squeal"?
"squeal" is spelled S-Q-U-E-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is /skwiːl/.
What does "squeal" mean?
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.
What words are commonly confused with "squeal"?
"squeal" is commonly confused with "steal", "seal", "squad". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "squeal"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "squeal" is /skwiːl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "squeal"?
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 Nor... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “squeal”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-Q-U-E-A-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /skwiːl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “steal” - see the side-by-side comparison. squeal vs steal
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list