Related words

adenoidal adjective if someone’s voice is adenoidal, some of the sound seems to come through their nose

appealing adjective an appealing look, voice etc shows that you want help, approval, or agreement

breathy adjective with loud breathing noises

brittle adjective if you speak in a brittle voice, you sound as if you are about to cry

croaky adjective if someone’s voice sounds croaky, they speak in a low rough voice that sounds as if they have a sore throat

dead adjective if someone’s eyes are dead, or if their voice is dead, they feel or show no emotion

disembodied adjective a disembodied voice comes from someone who you cannot see

flat adjective spoken in a voice that does not go up and down. This word is often used for describing the speech of people from a particular region.

fruity adjective a fruity voice or laugh is deep and strong in a pleasant way

grating adjective a grating voice, laugh, or sound is unpleasant and annoying

gravelly adjective a gravelly voice sounds low and rough

gruff adjective a gruff voice has a rough low sound

guttural adjective a guttural sound is deep and made at the back of your throat

high-pitched adjective a high-pitched voice or sound is very high

hoarse adjective someone who is hoarse or has a hoarse voice speaks in a low rough voice, usually because their throat is sore

honeyed adjective honeyed words or a honeyed voice sound very nice but you cannot trust the person who is speaking

husky adjective a husky voice is deep and sounds hoarse (=as if you have a sore throat), often in an attractive way

low adjective a low voice or sound is quiet and difficult to hear

low adjective used for describing a deep voice or a sound that has a long wavelength

low adverb in a deep voice, or with a deep sound

matter-of-fact adjective used about someone’s behaviour or voice

modulated adjective a modulated voice is controlled and pleasant to listen to

monotonous adjective a monotonous sound or voice is boring and unpleasant because it does not change in loudness or become higher or lower

nasal adjective someone with a nasal voice sounds as if they are speaking through their nose

orotund adjective very formal an orotund voice is loud and clear

penetrating adjective a penetrating voice or sound is so high or loud that it makes you slightly uncomfortable

plummy adjective British a plummy voice or way of speaking is considered to be typical of an English person of a high social class. This word shows that you dislike people who speak like this.

quietly adverb in a quiet voice

raucous adjective a raucous voice or noise is loud and sounds rough

ringing adjective a ringing sound or voice is very loud and clear

rough adjective a rough voice is not soft and is unpleasant to listen to

shrill adjective a shrill noise or voice is very loud, high, and unpleasant

silvery adjective mainly literary a silvery voice or sound is clear, light, and pleasant

singsong adjective if you speak in a singsong voice, your voice rises and falls in a musical way

small adjective a small voice or sound is quiet

smoky adjective a smoky voice or smoky eyes are sexually attractive in a slightly mysterious way

softly spoken adjective someone who is softly spoken has a quiet gentle voice

soft-spoken adjective speaking or said in a quiet gentle voice

sotto voce adjective formal in a very quiet voice

stentorian adjective mainly literary a stentorian voice sounds very loud and severe

strangled adjective a strangled sound is one that someone stops before they finish making it

strangulated adjective strangled

strident adjective a strident voice or sound is loud and unpleasant

taut adjective used about something such as a voice or expression that shows someone is nervous or angry

thick adjective if your voice is thick with an emotion, it sounds less clear than usual because of the emotion

thickly adverb with a low voice that comes mostly from your throat

thin adjective a thin voice or sound is high and unpleasant to listen to

throaty adjective a throaty sound is low and seems to come from deep in your throat

tight adjective a tight voice or expression shows that you are nervous or annoyed

toneless adjective a toneless voice does not express any emotion

tremulous adjective literary if something such as your voice or smile is tremulous, it is not steady, for example because you are afraid or excited

wheezy adjective a wheezy noise sounds as if it is made by someone who has difficulty breathing

wobbly adjective if your voice is wobbly, it goes up and down, usually because you are frightened, not confident, or are going to cry

English version of thesaurus of words used to describe someone s voice