Sound words are great for adding juicy details to any writing. Cacophony describes the noise produced during hullabaloo better then "a big noise" or a "bunch of yelling" which are both a bit bland. Instead of telling about a bee flying around the guy who swatted it a killed it, sound words could say it so much better: "The buzzing round his head drove him mad, until the blasted thing landed near the rose he'd just placed on the table in front of him. Thwack! 'There! That'll teach you to annoy me!' he hissed at the bee guts that were smeared across the table." The sound words in the Thesaurus are broken down into several categories: hearing, deafness, sound, silence, faintness of sound, loudness, resonance, repeated sounds, sibilation, stridency, cry or call, explosive noise, animal sounds, an discord. Many of the synonyms for these are unique and make incredible descriptivy and juicy words when used in writing.
The Sounds
Hearing
The synonyms for hearing include objects intended to aid hearing and a few hearing related interjections. Hearing is defined as the sense that perceives sound, the capacity to hear, the range of hear-ability, earshot, an opportunity to be heard, or the ability to hear. The Thesaurus synonyms include:
Nouns: sense of hearing, auditory or aural sense, ear, listening, heeding, rapt attention, audibility, audience, interview, conference, listening, listening in, eavesdropping, surveillance, wire tapping, bugging, an ear for, musical ear, earshot, auditory range, sound of one’s voice, listener, hearer, fly on the wall, eavesdropper, snoop, audience, congregation, ear, listening device, hearing aid, ear trumpet, amplifier, megaphone, stethoscope
Verbs: listen, hark, hearken, heed, attend, give ear, bend an ear, listen to, listen in, eavesdrop, intercept, bug, keep one’s ears open, all ears, hang on every word, catch, get, take in, overhear, hear tell of, get an earful, get wind of, be heard, come to one’s ear, register, make an impression, make oneself heard, get through to, gain a hearing, assault the ear.
Adjectives: auditory, audio, audible, otic, audio-visual, otoscopic, acoustic, phonic, listening, attentive, all ears, sharp-eared, tin eared
Interjections: Hark! Hearken! Hear ye, hear ye! Oyez! Now hear this! Listen! Listen Up! Psst! Yo!
Deafness
Deafness is a form of communication problem where there is a partial or total loss of the ability to understand the spoken word. There are a number of factors that may contribute to the level or degree of deafness. Sensorineural deafness relates to the sensory nerves, especially as it affects hearing. Thesaurus synonyms include:
Nouns: heard of hearing, deaf ears, stone deafness, nerve deafness, tone deafness, impaired hearing, loss of hearing, hearing loss, the deaf, the hard of hearing, deaf-mute
Verbs: be deaf, lose one’s hearing, suffer hearing loss, go deaf, close one’s ears, turn a deaf ear, fall on deaf ears, deafen, split the eardrums
Adjectives: deaf, hard of hearing, dull or thick hearing, deaf eared, deafened, deaf as a stone, deaf as a doorknob or a doornail, deaf as a post, unhearing
Sound
Synonyms include the equipment needed to produce sound or deliver sound to the ears, as well as words describing the quality of sound and words used as specific sounds. Sound is defined as the vibrations transmitted within the frequency range of 20 to 20,000 Hertz required to be detected by human ears. Sound includes the sensation of hearing, any distinctive noise, the distance over which something can be heard, vocalizations, recorded audio materials, noises with no meaning to them, to make a sound, to summon, to announce, or to signal with sound. Thesaurus entries include:
Nouns: sound, resonance, acoustic, acoustic phenomenon, stimulus, auditory effect, noise, sound wave, sound intensity, sound level, amplitude, loudness, tone, pitch, frequency, monotone, monotony, tonelessness, overtone, harmonic, intonation, timbre, tone quality, clang, sounding, acoustics, phonics, sonics, subsonics, supersonics, ultrasonics, sound barrier, speed of sound, sonic boom, decibel, loudspeaker, speaker, speaker system, headphones, earphone, stereo headset, microphone, mike, audio amplifier, amp, sound reproduction system, high fidelity system, record player, phonograph, Victrola, jukebox, nickelodeon, public address system, PA system, intercom, tape recorder, CD player, record, phonograph record, recording, tape recording, cassette tape, CD, compact disc, audio distortion, scratching, hum, rumble, hissing, howling, blurping, booming, woomping, fluttering, flutter, squeals, whistles, birdies, feedback, static
Verbs: make a sound, make a noise, give a sound, emit a sound, noise, speak, resound, record, tape, prerecord, play back
Adjectives: sounding, sonorous, sounded, tonal, monotone, toneless, droning, audible, distinct, clear, plink, definite, articulate,, distinctive, hi-fi, acoustic, phonic, sonic, subsonic, ultrasonic, hypersonic, faster than sound.
Adverbs: audibly, aloud, out loud, distinctly, clearly, plainly
Silence
Silences consists of a complete lack of sound, a stillness, or a refusal or failure to speak out. Silence includes the ability to make silent or to bring to silence (e.g. a crowd), and to curtail or suppress the expression of something. Synonyms include:
Nouns: soundlessness, stillness, noiselessness, quietness, quietude, quite, peace, hush, mum, lull, dead of night, tranquility, muteness, voicelessness, silence of the tomb or grave, code of silence, keeping one's lip buttoned, mute, silencer, muffler, muffle, cushion, soft pedal, dampener, damper, gag, muzzle, soundproofing, acoustic tile, sound absorbing material
Verbs: be silent, keep silent or keep still or keep quiet, keep one’s mouth shut, hold one’s tongue, bite one’s tongue, seal one’s lips, not breathe a word, hold one’s peace, not utter a word, not open one’s mouth, not have a word to say, shut up, keep one’s trap shut, button one’s lip, save one’s breath, dummy up, clam up, say nothing, not say boo, play dumb, fall silent, hush, quiet down, pipe down, have one’s words stick in one’s throat, gag, muzzle, shush, muffle, mute, soften deaden, baffle damp, tone down, put on the soft pedal
Adjectives: silent, still, quiet, hushed, soundlessness, echoless, inaudible, invoiced, unarticulated, tacit, wordless, unspoken, implicit, mute, mum, speechless, tongue-tied, speechless, dumbstruck, dumbfounded
Adverbs: silently, in silence, quietly, soundlessly, inaudibly
Interjections: silence! Hush! Shhh! Be silent! Be quiet! Keep still! Hold your tongue! Shut your mouth! Not another word! Not another peep out of you! Save your breath! Clam up! Can it!
Faintness of Sound
Faintness of sound usually describes any sound that is barely audible, is faint, or is indistinct - like one of those sounds off in the distance that you can't quite make out. Thesaurus entries include:
Nouns: lowness, softness, subduedness, dimness, weakness, muffled tone, mutedness, flatness, thud, dull, thud, thump, flump, crump, clop, clump, clunk, plunk, plump, bump, pitter patter, tap, rap, click, tick, pop, tinkle, clink, ting-a-ling, chink, murmur, mutter, mumble undertone, whisper, ripple, splash, rustle, hum, humming, thrumming, low rumbling, droning, buzzing, whirring, purring, sigh, sighing, moaning, sobbing, whining
Verbs: waft on the air, float in the air, mumble, murmur, mutter, lower one’s voice, whisper, breathe, sigh, ripple, babble, bubble, gurgle, trill, lap, splash, swish, slosh, wash, rustle, crinkle, swish, hum, thrum, drone, buzz, whiz, whir, sigh, moan, sob, whine, whimper, thud, thump, patter, clop, clump, clunk, tap, click, tinkle, clink
Adjectives: faint, low, soft, gentle, subdued, dim, feeble weak, distant, indistinct unclear, barely audible, pianissimo, muffled, muted, softened, dampened, damped, smothered, dull, dead, flat, murmuring, muttering, mumbling, whispering, rustling, rippling, babbling, gurgling, humming, droning, buzzing
Adverbs: faintly, softly, gently , dimly, weakly, low, in an undertone, under one’s breathe, with bated breath, in a whisper, between the teeth, aside, out of earshot
Loudness
Loudness describes any sound that is strongly audible, has great volume or intensity, something that makes such sounds, anything clamorous or vociferous, or any sound that is emphatic or insistent. Looking in the Thesaurus, you'll find such words as:
Nouns Intensity, volume, amplitude, sonorousness, surge of sound, crescendo, noisiness, thunderousness, clamorousness, boisterousness, vociferousness, noise, blast, racket, din, clamor, uproar, thunder, roar, rattle, clap, jangle, crash, boom, bang, tumult, hubbub, fracas, brawl, pandemonium, hullabaloo, free-for-all, rumpus, ruckus, hell broke loose, blare, blast, shriek, peal, trumpet, fanfare, noisemaker, bull-roarer, catcall, siren, boiler factory
Verbs din, boom, thunder, resound, ring, peal, blast the ear, deafen, bang, crash, rend the air, fill the air, rattle the windows, wake the dead, shout, drown out, outshout, shout down, overpower, be noisy, make a racket, clamor, make an uproar, kick up a racket, raise the roof, raise hell, whoop it up, blare, blast, shriek, clarion, honk, blow the horn
Adjectives loud, forte, fortissimo, resounding, ringing, pealing, deafening, dear-splitting, ear-piercing, thunderous, crashing, booming, earthshaking, enough to wake the dead, loud-voiced, loudmouthed, noisy, rackety, clattery, clanging, clamorous, blatant, blaring, brassy, tumultuous, turbulent, boisterous, vociferous
Adverbs loudly, aloud, boomingly, thuderously, thunderingly, noisily, resoundingly, with a loud voice, at the top of one’s voice, in full cry, with one wild yell, with a whoop and a hurrah
Resonance
Resonance includes any sounds that have the quality of being resonant, have an intensified or prolonged sound, or is produced by sympathetic vibration. Synonyms include:
Nouns resoundingness, vibrancy, snore, lowness, deepness, rumble, rumbling, thunder, growl, grumble, grumbling, echo, ringing, pealing, chiming, tinkling, jingling, dinging, donging, tolling, knelling, clangor, clanking, peal, ring, chime, toll, click, ping, tinnitis, ringing in the ear, bell, gong, triangle, chimes, clapper, clarion, carillon, resonator, reverberator, sounding board, resonant chamber, echo chamber
Verbs resonate, vibrate, pulse, throb, snore, rumble, roll, boom, echo, bounce back, be reflected, be sent back, ring, peal, toll, knell, chime, gong, tinkle, jingle, ding, dong, jangle, ring in the ear
Adjectives resonant, reverberant, sonorous, rolling, mellow, rich, full, echoing, vibrating, pulsing, throbbing, deep, hollow, low, grave, heavy, base, baritone, contralto, reverberating, resounding, rumbling, ringing, pealing, tolling tinkling, jingling, bells
Repeated Sounds
Repeated sounds are those that occur two or more times in succession. Synonyms in the Thesaurus include:
Nouns stacatto, drum, thrum, beat, pound, roll, drumming, pounding, beating, thumping, throb, pulsation, palpitation, pitter patter, tattoo, drumbeat, barrage, clicking, ticking, tick-tock, rattle, rattlety-bang, clatter, chatter
Verbs drum, thrum, beat, pound, pound out, thump, roll, flutter, sputter, splatter, throb, pulsate, beat a devil’s tattoo, tick, tick-tock, tick away, rattle, clatter, chatter, rattle around
Adjectives staccato, drumming, thrumming, beating, pounding, thumping, throbbing, fluttering, sputtering, spattering, clicking, ticking, rattly, rattling, chattering, clattery, clattering
Explosive Noise
Explosive Noises sound just like their name suggests: of, causing or having the nature of an explosion. Their synonyms include:
Nouns report, crash, crack, clap, bang, wham, slam, clash, burst, knock, rap, tap, smack, whack, thwack, whop, whomp, splat, bump, slap, flap, flop, snap, crack, click, clack, crackle, crackling, sizzling, spitting, detonation, blast, explosion, discharge, burst, bang, pop, crack, shot, bark gun shot, boom, cannonade, peal, rumble, grumble, roll, roar, thunder, thundering, peal of thunder, thunderclap
Verbs crack, clap, crash, wham, slam, bang, clash, knock, rap, tap, smack, whack, thwack, whop, whomp, splat, slap, snap, crack, click, clack, crackle, spit, blast, detonate, explode, discharge, burst, go off, bang, pop, crack, bark, boom, thunder, peal, rumble, roll, roar
Adjectives snapping, cracking, crackling, crackly, banging, crashing, bursting, exploding, explosive, blasting, knocking, tapping, thundering, thunderous, thundery, thunder-like, booming, pealing, roaring
Interjections bang!, boom!, wham!, whammo!, blam!, kerboom!, kerblam!
Sibilation
Sibilation means a hissing sound or to produce a hissing sound. Its Thesaurus entries include:
Nouns hiss, hissing, white noise, hush, hushing, shush, sizzle, fizzle, effervescing, shish, shoosh, whiz, buzz, zip, sniffle, whistle, sneeze, snort, snore, sniff, sniffle, spit, sputter, splutter, squish, squelch, lisp, frictional rustling
Verbs hiss, hush, shush, sizzle, fizzle, fizz, effervesce, whiz, buzz, zip, swish, sputter, sniffle, snore, splutter, squish, squelch, lisp
Adjectives hissing, hushing, sizzling, fizzling, effervescent, sniffing, sniffling, snoring, wheezing, wheezy
Stridency
Strident sounds are any sounds that are harsh, shrill, grating, have a shrill character, or have a high intensity. The Thesaurus lists the following synonyms:
Nouns stridency shrillness, sharpness, acuteness, screechiness, squeakiness, creakiness, harshness, coarseness, gruffness, raspiness, scratchiness, hoarseness, huskiness, gutturalness, throatiness, rasp, scratch, scrape, clash, jar, screech, shriek, scream, squeal, whine, wail, whistle, howl, yammer, ululation, yammer, caterwaul, cricking, creaking, chirping, soprano, mezzo-soprano, treble, tenor, alto, countertenor, falsetto
Verbs crick, creak, chirp, screech, shriek, scream, squawk, squeal, shrill, whistle, wolf-whistle, whine, wail, howl, yammer, ululate, caterwaul, jangle, clash, jar, blare, bray, croak, caw, cackle, belch, buzz, snore, growl, snarl, groan, clank, twang, grate, rasp, scratch, scrape, crunch, grate on, jar on, grate upon the ear, offend the ear, pierce the ears, set the teeth on edge, get on one’s nerves, make one’s skin crawl
Adjectives strident, high, high-pitched, falsetto, shrill, sharp, piercing, penetrating, ear-piercing, screechy, shrieking, squeaky, creaky, whistling, whining, wailing, howling, raucous, harsh, coarse, gruff, hoarse, husky, guttural, throaty, creaking, choked, strangled, squawking, brassy, tinny, metallic, grating, jarring, grinding, jangling, rasping, scratchy
Cry Or Call
To cry involves making a loud vocal utterance, such as a call for help, or to sob and shed tears. To call means to cry out in a loud voice, to shout, to command an animal or person to come, to summon, to ask or invite someone over, or to communicate by telephone. Words synonymous with these two words include:
Nouns cry, call, shout, yell, whoop, holler, cheer, hurrah, howl, scream, shriek, war cry, battle cry, exclamation, outcry, clamor, uproar, hue and cry, brouhaha
Verbs cry, call, shout, yell, holler, whop, cheer, howl, bawl, bellow, roar, scream, shriek, caterwaul, yelp, exclaim, cry out, sound-off, pipe up, raise a clamor, raise a hue and cry, lift up the voice, rend the air
Adjectives clamorous, blatant, noisy, yelling, hollering, bawling, screaming, yelling, exclamatory, blurting
Animal Sounds
Animal sounds are those sound we learned as toddlers and included in the song "Old MacDonald." They include the following:
Nouns call, cry, mating call, grunt, howl, bark, barking, birdcall
Verbs call, howl, yowl, wail, whine, squeal, screech, squeak, roar, bellow, bawl, moo, bleat, bray, whinny, neigh, bay, bark, yelp, yap, mew, meow, grunt, snort, oink, growl, snarl, warble, sing, trill, twitter, chirp, cheep, quack, honk, croak, squawk, crow, cock-a-doodle-doo, cackle, gaggle, cluck, gobble, hoot, hoo, coo, cuckoo
Adjectives howling, yowling, crying, wailing, whining, wauling, lowing
Discord
Sounds of discord are similar to strident words, and are defined as having inharmonious tones when played together. They are described as harsh or dissonant. The Thesaurus lists the following:
Nouns dissonance, cacophony, inharmoniousness, un-melodiousness, atonality, tunelessness, sourness, false note, sour note, clinker, clash, jangle, jar, noise, jarring sounds, witches’ chorus, devil’s chorus, grate
Verbs hit a sour note, hit a clinker, not carry a tune, clash, jar, jangle, grate
Adjectives dissonant, discordant, cacophanous, strident, shrill, harsh, grating, inharmonious, unmelodious, unmusical, out of tune, atonal, off-key, sour, clashing, jarring, warring, harsh, grating
Resources
Roget’s Thesaurus. Fifth Edition. Edited by Robert L. Chapman. New York, New York: Harper’s and Collins Publishers, 1992.
American Heritage Dictionary
Dictionary.com
