Standard Lemma guide

strident

adj · noun · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ˈstɹaɪ.dənt/
  • Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation: [ˈstɹaɪ.dn̩t]
  • California: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australian: /ˈstɹɑe.dənt/
  • Australian: [ˈstɹɑe̯.dn̩t]
  • New-Zealand: /ˈstɹaɪ.dənt/
  • New-Zealand: [ˈstɹɑe̯.dn̩t]
  • CMU ARPABET: S T R AY1 D AH0 N T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Loud; shrill, piercing, high-pitched; rough-sounding.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The trumpet sounded strident against the string orchestra.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Grating or obnoxious.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The artist chose a strident mixture of colors.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Forceful (typically in a negative way) or obtrusive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Vigorous; making strides; forceful in a positive way.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: nonstandard

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

One of a class of s-like fricatives produced by an airstream directed at the upper teeth.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: fricative

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

unpleasantly loud and harsh

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: raucous

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

being sharply insistent on being heard

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • strident demands
  • shrill criticism

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: shrill

Antonyms: none provided

8

adjective satellite

Meaning 8

of speech sounds produced by forcing air through a constricted passage (as `f', `s', `z', or `th' in both `thin' and `then')

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fricative, continuant, sibilant, spirant

Antonyms: none provided

9

adjective satellite

Meaning 9

conspicuously and offensively loud; given to vehement outcry

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • blatant radios
  • a clamorous uproar
  • strident demands
  • a vociferous mob

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: blatant, clamant, clamorous, vociferous

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From French strident, from Latin strīdēns, present active participle of strīdō.

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: рязък (rjazǎk) — loud, piercing
  • Bulgarian: пронизващ (pronizvašt) — loud, piercing
  • Czech: hlasitý — loud, piercing
  • Czech: hlučný — loud, piercing
  • Czech: důrazný — loud, piercing
  • Czech: pronikavý — loud, piercing
  • Czech: ostrý — loud, piercing
  • Dutch: snerpend — loud, piercing
  • Esperanto: strida — loud, piercing
  • French: strident — loud, piercing
  • French: criard — loud, piercing
  • Galician: estridente — loud, piercing
  • German: gellend — loud, piercing
  • Irish: géarghlórach — loud, piercing
  • Irish: géar — loud, piercing
  • Irish: sianach — loud, piercing
  • Irish: garg — loud, piercing
  • Japanese: 耳障りな (mimizawari) — loud, piercing
  • Latin: strīdulus — loud, piercing
  • Māori: pākinakina — loud, piercing
  • Māori: rengarenga — loud, piercing
  • Māori: maioro — loud, piercing
  • Māori: tioro — loud, piercing
  • Russian: пронзительный (pronzitelʹnyj) — loud, piercing
  • Russian: ре́зкий (rézkij) — loud, piercing
  • Spanish: estridente — loud, piercing
  • Turkish: gıcırtılı — loud, piercing
  • Turkish: tiz — loud, piercing
  • Ukrainian: прони́зливий (pronýzlyvyj) — loud, piercing
  • Hungarian: érdes — linguistics: one of a class of s-like fricatives produced by an airstream directed at the upper teeth