Describing Sounds: English Vocabulary List

having a sharply high-pitched, harsh sound

"A shrill whistle pierced."

"The shrill sound of the smoke alarm woke everyone up in the middle of the night and caused panic throughout the house."

having a sound that is muted, subdued, or dampened

"Muffled voices spoke softly."

"The muffled sound of voices came from behind the closed door but she could not understand what they were saying to each other."

having a harsh or unpleasant sound

"Grating sounds annoyed me."

"The grating sound of the chalk on the blackboard made her cover her ears and cringe with discomfort every single time the teacher wrote something."

having a loud, sharp, and resonant sound, often characterized by the collision or striking of metal objects

"Clanging bells rang loudly."

"The clanging noise of the pots and pans falling onto the kitchen floor woke the baby who started crying loudly in his crib."

producing a high-pitched, sharp sound

"Squeaky shoes made noise."

"The squeaky door hinge needed oil because it made a loud annoying noise every time someone opened or closed the door."

producing a continuous, buzzing, or humming sound

"Whirring fan cooled room."

"The whirring sound of the computer fan was the only noise in the quiet room as she worked late into the night."

having a rough sound, often unpleasant to listen to

"Raspy voice spoke low."

"After shouting all day at the concert, her voice became raspy and difficult to hear over the music."

producing a loud, harsh, and intense sound, often characterized by its overwhelming volume and piercing quality

"Blaring horns sounded loud."

"The blaring music from the car next to him was so loud that he could feel the bass vibrating through his own vehicle's windows."

producing a heavy, muffled, and often repeated sound

"Thudding footsteps approached me."

"The thudding sound of heavy footsteps coming up the stairs made her heart race because she was home alone at the time."

characterized by a deep, harsh, throaty sound

"A guttural growl emerged."

"He made a guttural sound of disgust when he tasted the sour milk and immediately spit it out into the sink."

to make a ringing sound, like a bell or clock

"The bells will chime."

"The old grandfather clock began to chime loudly at exactly midnight waking up everyone in the quiet house."

producing a harsh, discordant sound, often characterized by a series of clashing or clinking noises

"Jangling coins fell down."

"The jangling sound of her keys echoed through the empty parking garage as she walked nervously toward her car late at night."

(of a sound) loud, harsh, and unpleasant to the ears

"The crowd was raucous."

"The raucous laughter of the drunk men at the bar could be heard from the street and disturbed the neighbors who were trying to sleep."