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honeyed

honeyed

1 6.4
Having a smooth, sweet sound that is pleasant to hear
  • adjective
  • /ˈhʌniˌd/
translation icon : melódico
  • Her honeyed voice soothed the children to sleep.
  • honeyed voice
  • honeyed tones
  • honeyed baritone

Examples

  • As expected, Cheryl Sanford answered with her honeyed voice.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • He is a sweet man with a honeyed tongue, and he is a teller of tales.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Oh, you and your honeyed words.

  • You, with your honeyed words.

  • You scheme in low, honeyed tones.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • In low, honeyed tones, you praise and primp my form.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Quinn turned at the honeyed voice, saw Tina standing nearby, hands on her hips.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • With gentle speech and honeyed words, he paid homage to her beauty and wisdom and claimed that he desired to learn her peaceable ways.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • "Thine honeyed words fall sweetly upon mine ears, Itagne," Xan Tia smiled.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Out of its core, the honeyed discourse of fables and novels, romances and epics, flowed in an irresistible stream.

    Fiction book (1994)

Synonyms

sweet
vshoneyed
58 1.1

Pleasing to the ear, like a soft melody

is more about a smooth, syrupy tone rather than general pleasantness
mellifluous
vshoneyed
  • Formal
4 8.5

A smooth, sweet sound that is pleasant to hear

focuses more on sweet smoothness than musical character
euphonious
vshoneyed
1 8.3

A pleasant, smooth sound like music or speech that is nice to listen to

focuses more on sweet smoothness rather than technical harmony
dulcet
vshoneyed
1 8.9

A sweet, pleasant sound that soothes

is sweeter and smoother but less focused on calmness
mellisonant
vshoneyed
  • Formal
9.9

A pleasant, sweet sound that is nice to hear

puts more emphasis on smooth sweetness than plain sweet tone
euphonous
vshoneyed
8.9

Sounds pleasant and smooth to hear

leans more toward sweet smoothness rather than neutral harmony
as sweet as a songbird
vshoneyed
  • Informal
5.4

Very pleasant and musical to hear like a singing bird

is milder and literal, not a vivid comparative praise

Antonyms

47 3.9

Very strong and unpleasant to the senses, like bright light or bitter taste

1 6.2

A harsh, unpleasant sound or voice that is hard to listen to

Compounds

honeyed words
  • Informal
1 7.2

Smooth, pleasant speech that tries to trick people

How Pleasing

mellifluous
  • Formal
4 8.5
honeyed
1 6.4
pleasant
314 1.0
plain
50 2.5
harsh
47 3.9

Surface Forms

honeyed positive

Morphology

honeyed = honey (semi-transparent) = honey + ed

The adjective is a metaphorical extension from 'honey' (sweet) to 'sweet-sounding'; the relation is inferable but figurative rather than strictly compositional.

Etymology

The word honeyed also comes from honey, which people often use as a picture for something very sweet and pleasant. So calling a voice or speech honeyed means it sounds 'pleasantly smooth and sweet to hear'.