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
a voice like a foghorn phrase
a very loud voice
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
in an undertone phrase
using a quiet voice so that someone cannot hear you
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
someone’s dulcet tones phrase
mainly literary the sound of someone’s voice as they speak
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