Describing sounds

4 Tips for Describing Sounds in Writing 1. Consider your purpose. As you begin a project, decide if you want to render a specific experience faithfully or creatively. Consider the target audience for your creative writing, blog, or journalism. Understanding your goal and audience helps you make descriptors more effective and precise.

2. Employ onomatopoeia. Onomatopoeia is a type of sensory language in which the descriptive word sounds like what it describes—words like “drip,” “bang,” or “plink.” If you want to achieve an especially sound-driven description, consider using existing onomatopoeic words or craft your own. Other examples of onomatopoeia include “ahem,” “groan,” “sigh,” and animal sounds like “bleat” or “meow.”

3. Pay attention to verbs. While adjectives (words like “loud” or “sharp”) are the obvious choice for describing sounds, verbs are a powerful tool that can also help you achieve a strong description. For example, saying, “the jet was loud” is accurate and descriptive, while “the jet screamed” evokes an even stronger sense of the sound.

4. Sometimes less is more. Descriptions are most effective when focused, allowing readers to zero in on the essential details. If you include too many synonyms or attach multiple adjectives to each noun, you can overwhelm or confuse readers.

General Words Describing Sounds audible – a sound that is loud enough to hear broken – a sound that has spaces in it emit – to make a sound grinding – a sound of one hard thing moving against another hushed – a sound that is quiet inaudible – a sound that is difficult to hear

monotonous – a sound that is always the same and never gets louder or quieter, or higher or lower muffled – a sound that is not easy to hear because it is blocked by something plaintive – a sound that has a sad quality rhythmic – a sound that has a clear, regular pattern staccato – a sound where each word or sound is clearly separate

Describing Pleasing Sounds dulcet – soft and pleasant lilting – a sound that has a rising and falling pattern listenable – easy to listen to mellow – a soft, smooth, pleasant sound melodic – beautiful sound musical – sounds like music pure – a clear, beautiful sound rich – a sound that is strong in a pleasant way soft – quiet and peaceful sonorous – a sound that is deep and strong in a pleasant way sweet – a pleasant sound

Describing Noisy Sounds at full blast – as loudly as possible almighty – used for emphasising how loud something is brassy – a sound that is loud and unpleasant deafening – a sound so loud you cannot hear anything else ear-splitting – extremely loud explosive – a sound that is loud and unexpected howling – a continuous, low, loud noise

insistent – a continuous, loud, strong noise loud – a sound that is strong and very easy to hear noisy – a sound that is full of noise percussive – a sound that is short, like someone hitting a drum piercing – a sound that is very loud, high, and unpleasant pulsating – strong, regular pattern raucous – rude, violent, noisy resounding – a sound that is loud and that continues for a while

riotous – lively and noisy roaring – a deep, loud noise rowdy – noisy and causing trouble sharp – a sound that is sudden and loud shrill – a sound that is loud, high, and unpleasant thundering – extremely loud thunderous – loud tumultuous – a sound that includes noise, excitement, activity, or violence uproarious – extremely nois

Words That Help You Show And Not Tell Many of these words that help you show and not tell are examples of onomatopoeia. These words imitate natural sounds. ‘It creates a sound effect that mimics the thing described, making the description more expressive and interesting.’

Here are some examples: The bees buzzed outside my window. The wind sighed. The leaves crackled and crunched under his feet.

Use this list to make your writing come alive. babble – a gentle, pleasant sound of water as it moves along in a river bang – to move, making loud noises beep – a short high sound or several short high sounds blare – to make a loud and unpleasant noise blast – to make a loud sound with a car horn bleep – a short high sound or several short high sounds boom – to make a deep loud sound that continues for some time caterwaul – an unpleasant loud high noise

chime – a high ringing sound like a bell or set of bells chink – a high ringing sound when knocked together, or to make something do this clack -to make a short loud sound like one hard object hitting against another clang – a loud, metallic sound clank – a short, loud sound clash – a loud, metallic sound clatter – a series of short, sharp noises

click – a short sound like the sound when you press a switch clink – to make the short high sound of glass or metal objects hitting each other, or to cause objects to make this sound cluck – to make a short, low sound with your tongue crash – a sudden loud noise, as if something is being hit creak – if something creaks, especially something wooden, it makes a high noise when it moves or when you put weight on it

drone – to make a low continuous noise fizz – a soft sound that small gas bubbles make when they burst groan – a long, low, sound growl – a low, unpleasant noise grunt – to make a short low sound in your throat and nose at the same time gurgle – the low sound water makes when it is poured quickly from a bottle honk – to make a loud noise using a horn, especially the horn of a car

hoot – to make a short loud sound as a warning mewl – crying with a soft, high sound moan – a long, low sound neigh – to make a high loud sound like a horse’s neigh peal – if a bell peals, or if someone peals it, it makes a loud sound peep – if a car’s horn peeps, it makes a sound ping – to make a short high sound like the sound of a small bell pipe – to make a very high sound, or to speak in a very high voice

pop – a sudden noise like a small explosion putter – a short, quiet, low sound at a slow speed ring – to make a bell produce a sound roar – to make a continuous, very loud noise rumble – a continuous deep sound scream – to make a very loud high noise screech – to make a loud, high, and unpleasant noise

scrunch – to make a loud noise like something being crushed sigh – a long, soft, low sound squeak – to make a short, high noise squeal – to make a long high sound squee – to make a loud high noise because you are excited or happy thrum- to make a low regular noise like one object gently hitting another many times thud – a dull sound when falling or hitting something thump – to hit against something with a low loud sound

tinkle – to make a high, ringing sound wail – to make a long, high sound wheeze – a high sound, as though a lot of air is being pushed through it whine – a high, loud sound whirr – a fast, repeated, quiet sound

whisper – to make a quiet, gentle sound whistle – to make a high sound by forcing air through your mouth in order to get someone’s attention yelp – a short, loud, high sound, usually caused by excitement, anger, or pain yowl – a long, loud, unhappy sound or complaint

Topic My night spent alone in the wilderness What do you hear as it gets dark? What do you hear in the darkness? What do you hear as night turns back into day?