One man who lives in the same cinderblock complex as Mr. Dahmer turned the rap music on his boom-box radio to ear-splitting levels whenever reporters come by.

His laughter rose to an ear-splitting level.

To be sure, this is not a population that wears spandex leotards and engages in high-impact aerobics while rap sounds thump out of speakers at ear-splitting levels.

The educators entrusted with lowering the ear-splitting level have nicknamed the students "the Unshushables."

But in their duets, Ms. Prince's infantile shriek, frequently pushed to ear-splitting levels, obliterated Mr. Wopat's mild-mannered singing.

In high registers, these instruments tend to blare and enlarge themselves to almost ear-splitting levels.

She set the volume at an ear-splitting level, then moved an ottoman close to Daily's chair.

While traveling to clients' homes, he likes to listen to the radio at ear-splitting levels.

Outside, American troops tried to wear him down by blasting the heavy metal sounds of rock groups like Twisted Sister and radio news reports about his fate at ear-splitting levels.