squawk
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
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a loud, harsh cry or sound.
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Informal. a loud, vehement complaint.
-
the black-crowned night heron. night heron
noun
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a loud raucous cry; screech
-
informal a loud complaint or protest
verb
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to utter a squawk or with a squawk
-
informal (intr) to complain loudly
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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squawksimple
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squawkssimple
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have squawkedperfect
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has squawkedperfect
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am squawkingprogressive
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are squawkingprogressive
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is squawkingprogressive
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have been squawkingperfect progressive
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has been squawkingperfect progressive
Past
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squawkedsimple
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had squawkedperfect
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was squawkingprogressive
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were squawkingprogressive
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had been squawkingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of squawk
Explanation
To squawk is to make a harsh screech, like the sound that a large bird might make. Your pet parrot might squawk until you give her treats to nibble on. The imitative word squawk first appeared in the 1800s, and around 1945, the term squawk box began to be used informally to mean "intercom or loudspeaker." Today, that term is primarily used by investors and brokers to mean "an intercom used to communicate stock deals." In addition to being the sound of an irritated bird, a squawk is also a complaint: "All he does is squawk about how hard his new job is."
Vocabulary lists containing squawk
Instead of "Said": Words That Sound Like What They Mean
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We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
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Unit 1, Words to Know
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Economists might applaud, but elderly voters will squawk.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
The plane transmitted a 7700 squawk code - which are broadcast to tell air traffic control that there is an emergency and the aircraft needs priority handling.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2025
It seems as if everything you’ve described about this class certification is just obviously correct, and I’m trying to figure out what the DOJ is going to squawk about.
From Slate ● Jul. 11, 2025
When Roman blurts out that Logan’s gone, handing Shiv the phone, her tearful squawk is heartrending.
From Salon ● Apr. 9, 2023
At which point, Rosie let out a huge squawk, like a crow.
From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen
A laptop on the center console dings like a supermarket scanner every time license-plate readers attached to the truck capture another car’s tag—and the computer squawks when it spots a possible repo candidate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2025
The honks and squawks of ibises and louries - shuffling silhouettes in the leafless trees.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2023
Here, it’s called Stickipoo — and if its robotic squawks and light-saber glow appear on loan from George Lucas, that’s only fair.
From New York Times ● Aug. 17, 2023
The sounds of squawks and meows could be heard as chickens and stray cats roamed among the vehicles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2023
Gene walks away then, but just as he’s framed in the door—silhouetted by the light of the hall—the intercom squawks, and out comes Mrs. Dithers’s voice.
From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell
Some of them squawked about the slush fund in ways that took me by surprise.
From Slate ● Jun. 9, 2026
Parrots and macaws that had outlived their owners squawked in a giant aviary.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026
Molting peacocks squawked in the distance and a Pacific breeze whispered through the eucalyptus as flamingo keeper Liz Gibbons tidied her station at the San Francisco Zoo.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2025
Instead, the backing track squawked for a second and then dead air filled the room, with nary a patriotic chord to be heard.
From Salon ● Jan. 21, 2025
Brightbill stomped around the garden and squawked, “This isn’t fair!”
From "The Wild Robot" by Peter Brown
Now, the malodorous mess has led to legal squawking between the town and two of its residents.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
Massive winter waves exploded against rocks, sea lions barked and squawking gulls joined the symphony.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 28, 2024
Massry runs from the front of the store to the back, walkie-talkie on his waist squawking as employees request help at the registers.
From Slate ● Oct. 26, 2024
Dr Ben Beska, 33, from Newcastle, said he saw a group of magpies squawking in his garden on Saturday and went out to investigate when he spotted the fish lying in the grass.
From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2024
When a hungry pigeon tries to steal a bit of hamburger bun smeared with ketchup, Nate rushes at the poor bird and sends it squawking.
From "Dragons in a Bag" by Zetta Elliott
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.