Describing Sounds: English Vocabulary List

having a sound that is of a higher frequency or tone than usual

"The whistle is high-pitched."

"The high pitched sound of the fire alarm hurt everyone's ears as they evacuated the building quickly and safely."

having a soft and quiet sound

"His voice is low-pitched."

"The low pitched hum of the refrigerator was barely noticeable but it bothered her when the house was quiet."

producing or having a lot of loud and unwanted sound

"The street is noisy."

"The noisy construction work outside made it impossible for her to concentrate on her online class assignments."

speaking quietly and unclearly, making it hard for others to understand

"He is mumbling something."

"The mumbling old man was difficult to understand so the young cashier had to ask him to repeat himself several times."

making a soft and low sound

"They are whispering."

"The whispering students thought the teacher could not hear them but she knew exactly what they were saying to each other."

having a resonant, often metallic or bell-like noise that carries far

"My ears are ringing."

"The ringing in his ears after the loud concert lasted for three days and made it hard to sleep."

having a loud and sharp sound

"Someone is screaming."

"The screaming fans rushed toward the stage as soon as the famous singer walked out into the spotlight."

having a quiet and calm state, often accompanied by quiet voices or sounds

"They spoke in hushed voices."

"The hushed voices in the hospital corridor told her that something serious was happening behind the closed door of the operating room."