Words to Describe Someone’s Voice
I went scouting through the internet for words to describe a character’s voice. Here’s a handy list for all you writers:
- Adenoidal/Nasal - Some of the sound seems to come through the nose.
- Appealing - Shows that you want help, approval, or agreement.
- Breathy - With loud breathing noises.
- Brittle - You sound as if you are about to cry.
- Croaky - Sounds as if they have a sore throat.
- Dead - They feel or show no emotion.
- Disembodied - Voice comes from someone who you cannot see.
- Flat - Spoken in a voice that does not go up and down.
- Fruity - Deep and strong in a pleasant way.
- Grating - Unpleasant and annoying.
- Gravelly - Low and rough.
- Gruff - Has a rough low sound.
- Guttural - Deep and made at the back of your throat.
- High-Pitched - Very high and shrill.
- Hoarse - Low rough voice, usually because their throat is sore.
- Honeyed - Falsely sweet voice.
- Husky - A husky voice is deep and sounds hoarse often in an attractive way.
- Low - Quiet and difficult to hear / in a deep voice.
- Matter-of-fact - Used about someone’s behavior or voice.
- Modulated - Controlled and pleasant to listen to.
- Monotonous - Boring because it does not change in loudness or become higher or lower.
- Orotund - Loud and clear.
- Penetrating - So high or loud that it makes you uncomfortable.
- Plummy - This word shows that you dislike people who speak like this.
- Quietly - In a quiet voice.
- Raucous - Loud and sounds rough.
- Ringing - very loud and clear.
- Rough - Not soft and is unpleasant to listen to.
- Shrill - Very loud, high, and unpleasant.
- Silvery - Clear, light, and pleasant.
- Singsong - Rises and falls in a musical way.
- Small - A small voice or sound is quiet.
- Smoky - Sexually attractive in a slightly mysterious way.
- Softly Spoken - A quiet gentle voice.
- Sotto Voce - A very quiet voice.
- Stentorian - Loud and severe.
- Strangulated - One that someone stops before they finish making it.
- Strident - Loud and unpleasant.
- Taut - Shows someone is nervous or angry.
- Thick - Voice sounds less clear because of an emotion.
- Thin - High and unpleasant to listen to.
- Throaty - Low and seems to come from deep in your throat.
- Tight - Shows that you are nervous or annoyed.
- Toneless - Does not express any emotion.
- Tremulous - It is not steady because you are afraid or excited.
- Wheezy - Has difficulty breathing.
- Wobbly - Unstable tone due to fright or emotions.
