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harsh-voiced

harsh-voiced

6.8
A voice or sound that is rough and unpleasant
  • adjective
  • /hɑrʃ vɔɪst/
translation icon : voz áspera
  • She was startled by the harsh-voiced command echoing through the hallway.

Examples

  • The singer's harsh-voiced style gave the song a raw intensity that captivated the audience.

  • A harsh-voiced crow cawed loudly from the branch above.

  • The harsh-voiced teacher scared many students.

  • Why does she sound so harsh-voiced today?

  • The harsh-voiced wind howled through the empty streets at night.

  • His harsh-voiced remarks during the meeting made everyone uncomfortable.

  • She waved her arms and shouted in a harsh-voiced tone to get their attention.

Synonyms

harsh
vsharsh-voiced
47 3.9

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

is specific to voice sound being rough and grating
shrill
vsharsh-voiced
31 4.8

A very high, sharp sound that is unpleasant and loud

does not require high pitch and covers rough lower sounds too
raucous
vsharsh-voiced
31 7.1

Making a loud, rough, and unpleasant sound that hurts your ears

focuses on tone roughness even when volume is low rather than loudness
hoarse
vsharsh-voiced
25 3.4

A rough voice that sounds strained from a sore throat or shouting

is not tied to a physical cause and describes the general unpleasant quality
strident
vsharsh-voiced
22 7.2

Very loud and harsh in a way that feels unpleasant

is limited to unpleasant roughness without the added forceful or aggressive sense
jarring
vsharsh-voiced
20 6.1

A loud, harsh sound that feels unpleasant and surprising

is similar but emphasizes persistent roughness rather than sudden disturbance
scratchy
vsharsh-voiced
14 3.7

Harsh, rough sound or voice that is unpleasant to hear

covers the same unpleasantness but not only scratch-like tone
raspy
vsharsh-voiced
13 5.8

A rough, harsh voice or sound that feels unpleasant to hear

is broader, covering roughness beyond the specific rasping texture
gravelly
vsharsh-voiced
7 6.5

A low, rough voice that sounds harsh and scratchy

is not limited to deep coarse tones and covers wider rough sounds
cacophonous
vsharsh-voiced
2 8.4

Making a loud, harsh noise that is unpleasant to hear

is narrower, focusing on single rough voice quality rather than many clashing sounds
grating
vsharsh-voiced
1 6.2

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

describes voice quality that is generally rough and jarring rather than only sound
cacophonic
vsharsh-voiced
1 9.3

Has a loud, harsh sound that is unpleasant

is more about single voice roughness rather than general disharmony
squawky
vsharsh-voiced
1 7.5

A loud harsh sound like a bird's cry that is unpleasant

centres on unpleasant roughness without specifically being high-pitched or birdlike
shrieky
vsharsh-voiced
1 7.2

Making a very high, loud, annoying sound that hurts your ears

describes unpleasant roughness more generally, not focused on shrieking pitch
screamy
vsharsh-voiced
1 8.2

Very loud and high in sound like a scream

is about roughness that can be present without extreme loudness or screaming
rasping
vsharsh-voiced
6.9

Harsh and rough in a way that hurts the ears

is more general, not limited to that grit-like sound quality
stridulous
vsharsh-voiced
9.9

Making a loud, harsh, grating sound like some insects make

focuses on voices or sounds being unpleasantly rough without implying creakiness
dysphonic
vsharsh-voiced
9.8

A harsh, unpleasant sound that hurts the ears

is a neutral description of rough sound without implying a disorder
froggy
vsharsh-voiced
6.5

Having a hoarse, rough voice for a short time

is broader and does not imply the problem is temporary
unmelodious
vsharsh-voiced
8.0

Not having a pleasant, musical sound

is specifically about rough, grating voice quality rather than general unmusical tone

Antonyms

soft
  • Specialized
12 4.2

Made by vibrating the vocal cords

7 4.0

Has a pleasant, musical sound

How Harsh

strident
22 7.2
harsh-voiced
6.8
grating
1 6.2
singing
13 4.1

Surface Forms

harsh-voiced positive

Morphology

harsh-voiced = harsh + voiced (transparent) = harsh + voiced

A transparent, literal combination of 'harsh' and 'voiced' meaning 'having a harsh voice', easily inferable from the components.

Etymology

Harsh-voiced joins harsh ('rough, severe') and voice ('the sound you make'), so it literally names a rough kind of sound. That's why harsh-voiced means a voice that is unpleasant and rough, like 'sandpaper on the ear'.