Sounds · C2 English Vocabulary List

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 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 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."

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."

having a murmuring sound, like that of whispering or the wind through leaves

"The sound is susurrous."

"The susurrous whisper of the wind through the pine trees created a peaceful atmosphere and she fell asleep listening to the gentle sound."

producing a loud, harsh, and metallic sound

"The bells are clangorous."

"The clangorous noise of the construction site made it impossible to concentrate so the office workers put on noise canceling headphones."

having a sweet or pleasing sound

"Her voice is mellisonant."

"The mellisonant voice of the singer filled the concert hall with beautiful melodies and the audience sat in complete silence listening to every note."

loud and harsh-sounding, often causing discomfort

"The alarm is strident."

"The strident sound of the alarm clock woke her up abruptly and she reached over to turn off the annoying noise."

(of sounds) smooth, pleasant, and sweet to the ear

"Her voice is mellifluous."

"The singer's mellifluous voice captivated the audience, filling the concert hall with beautiful, harmonious melodies."

pleasing to the ear

"The music is euphonious."

"The euphonious harmony of the choir made the listeners feel peaceful and the beautiful music echoed through the stone walls of the cathedral."

characterized by a loud and continuous noise

"The crowd is clamorous."

"The clamorous crowd demanded that the speaker leave the stage and the security guards had to escort him out of the building."

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."

to make a murmuring or bubbling sound, often associated with the movement of water

"The stream will purl."

"We sat by the quiet brook and listened to the gentle purl of the water as it flowed over smooth stones."

the persistence of sound in an enclosed space after the original sound source has stopped

"The reverberation filled the room."

"The deep reverberation of the gong echoed for several seconds in the large, empty chamber."

(of a sound) having tones that clash or sound unpleasant together

"Dissonant chords sounded strange."

"The dissonant chords in the music created a sense of tension and unease that made the audience feel uncomfortable and anxious."

(of a sound) so harsh and unpleasant that creates a strong sense of disturbance

"A jarring noise startled."

"The jarring transition between the two scenes in the movie confused the audience and made it hard to follow the plot."

to make a loud, harsh, piercing sound, like that of tires sliding on pavement

"The car screeched to a halt."

"The driver had to screech his brakes suddenly to avoid hitting a dog that ran into the middle of the road."