Describing voice can easily be one of the hardest things to write. As humans, we are very visual, but describing your characters’ voices is imperative to give your readers context AND an understanding of the underlying emotions of a dialogue. I hope this list of 40 words to describe a voice helps your writing as much as it has helped mine 😉
Words for Tone Quality
1. Melodious: Pleasant and musical to hear.
2. Velvety: Smooth and soft, like velvet.
3. Silky: Smooth and delicate, pleasant to the ear.
4. Smooth: Even and flowing, without abrupt changes.
5. Mellow: Rich, warm, and pleasant.
6. Warm: Friendly, inviting, and pleasant.
7. Rich: Full and strong in quality.
8. Lyrical: Expressive, musical, and poetic.
Words to Describe a Voice Pitch
9. Deep: Low in pitch, resonant.
10. High-pitched: Elevated pitch level.
11. Shrill: High-pitched and piercing.
12. Piercing: High, sharp, and penetrating.
13. Squeaky: High-pitched and short, like a squeak.
14. Tenor: A high male voice, strong and resonant.
Words for Volume and Resonance
15. Booming: Loud, deep, and resonant.
16. Resonant: Deep and full, with a clear, strong sound.
17. Powerful: Strong and commanding.
18. Sonorous: Imposingly deep and full.
Words to Describe Harshness
19. Husky: Low and slightly rough, often considered attractive.
20. Raspy: Rough and scratchy.
21. Gravelly: Rough and grating, like the sound of gravel.
22. Harsh: Rough and jarring to the ear.
23. Croaky: Low, hoarse, and rough, like a croak.
24. Guttural: Produced in the throat, harsh and throaty.
25. Soft: Gentle and quiet, not harsh.
26. Gentle: Mild and kind, soothing to hear.
27. Whispery: Soft and hushed, like a whisper.
28. Airy: Light and breezy, often with a soft quality.
29. Breathy: Audible breath sounds, soft and airy.
Words for Distinctive and Expressive Voices
30. Clear: Easily heard, distinct, and free from ambiguity.
31. Bright: Lively, clear, and full of energy.
32. Commanding: Authoritative and confident.
33. Strident: Loud and harsh, grating.
34. Bubbly: Cheerful, lively, and animated.
35. Plaintive: Sounding sad and mournful.
36. Commanding: Authoritative and confident.
37. Lyrical: Expressive, musical, and poetic.
Words to Describe a Voice Negatively
38. Nasal: Sounding as if coming through the nose.
39. Tinny: Thin and metallic-sounding.
40. Monotone: Unvarying in pitch, dull.
41. Flat: Lacking variation in pitch, dull.
42. Plaintive: Sounding sad and mournful.
43. Reedy: Thin and high-pitched, like a reed instrument.
I think when it comes to words that describe voices, metaphors are really important. That’s why we have «tinny», «warm», or «velvety.» So use these words creatively! You can create your own metaphors when talking about your characters’ voices. For instance, «His voice reminded me of a choir of frogs in the forest» can be another way to describe a «croaky», annoying voice.
As long as your readers can understand it and the metaphor serves you well to transmit the idea, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be coming up with your own words to describe voices! In fact, if you come up with any others, would you share them with me in the comments below? Let’s complete this list together!
Much love,
Sof