Synonyms and antonyms of Words used to describe someone's voice in British Thesaurus

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 ()

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 ()

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 (mainly literary)

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 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