Below is an updated list of words students and teachers of drama and theatre can use to describe the qualities of an actor’s voice. Responding to reader feedback, this list now includes the meaning of each word in plain English so students can readily see whether a word is appropriate for their needs.
Often as part of their coursework, drama students analyse aspects of a live theatre performance. These written analyses regularly include describing the actor’s voice. This is where the list of words in this post and their related synonyms becomes a gold mine for students who wish to get high marks.
Did you think an actor spoke in an ambivalent tone? Well, below you’ll know that this could mean the actor spoke with uncertainty, a wavering attitude or a tone that conveyed mixed or contradictory feelings. Perhaps an actor’s voice sounded bossy. If so, below you’ll know you can be more descriptive and say dictatorial, instead.
At other times theatre students also analyse their own play-making process in Drama class. This involves describing the various qualities of their own performance work or perhaps evaluating the work of classmates. In this instance, if an actor spoke in a high-pitched and ear-piercing tone, you could say she had a shrill voice. Or maybe she spoke in a gravelly, husky voice? All these words and many more are listed below.
If that’s not enough, the list of words describing an actor’s voice in this post is very helpful for use in written exams and exam preparation in drama and theatre courses.
Words Describing Voice in Performance
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| affectionate | caring, loving, doting, warm, friendly |
| alarming | compelling, urgent, serious, dire, pressing, crucial |
| ambitious | determined, hungry, spirited, steadfast, dogged, driven |
| ambivalent | uncertain, wavering, unsure, mixed or contradictory feelings |
| apathetic | disinterested, lazy, lethargic, dispirited, lukewarm |
| appealing | attractive, inviting |
| appreciative | grateful, thankful |
| arrogant | claim of importance, superiority, proud |
| articulation | expression, pronunciation, enunciation |
| banging | booming, crashing, resounding, thundering |
| biased | prejudiced, partial, unfair, discriminatory, slanted, weighted |
| bitter | resentful, sour, aggrieved, begrudging, hurt, angry, discontented |
| bleating | complaining, moaning, whining, grumbling, whingeing |
| booming | loud, thunderous, bellowing, roaring, pulsating |
| breathy | panting, chesty, gasping, hissy, wheezing, phlegmy |
| brittle | nervous, edgy, tense, agitated, sensitive, fragile, crumbly |
| charming | appealing, attractive, agreeable, endearing, likeable, delightful |
| cheerful | merry, sparkling, uplifting, exuberant, peppy, joyful, |
| clamorous | loud, noisy, raucous, deafening, booming |
| conceited | arrogant, pompous, proud, egotistical, cocky, bigheaded |
| covered | covert, shrouded, cloaked, private, masked, unnoticeable |
| crackly | crispy, broken |
| creaky | gravelly, hoarse, raspy, rusty, coarse, abrasive, rough, throaty |
| croaky | gruff, husky, scratchy, grating |
| cynical | suspicious, doubting, mistrustful, disenchanted |
| deafening | blaring, loud, booming, piercing, blasting |
| dictatorial | bossy, domineering, stern, brutal, bullish, authoritarian |
| dulcet | melodic, lyrical, musical, easy on the ear |
| earsplitting | deafening, thunderous, booming, blasting, noisy, shrill, roaring |
| elated | happy, ecstatic, delighted, jubilant, thrilled |
| encouraging | promising, reassuring, hopeful, optimistic, |
| evasive | shifty, elusive, slippery, cunning, vague, imprecise |
| faint | soft, quiet, inaudible, muted, whispered, gentle, low-pitched, |
| fast | rapid, accelerated, brisk, swift, breakneck speed, |
| fast-paced | up-tempo, flat-out, energetic, exciting, dynamic |
| flat | dull, tedious, boring, emotionless, dreary, lifeless, bland |
| flippant | frivolous, carefree, thoughtless, dismissive |
| flutter | tremble, quiver, tremor, shiver, shudder, quaver |
| forgiving | sympathetic, compassionate, merciful, tolerant, understanding |
| fruity | full, rich, booming, clear, loud, strong |
| grating | jarring, harsh, shrill, piercing, sharp, rough |
| gravelly | raspy, croaky, gruff, husky, throaty, coarse, rough |
| groan | wail, moan, howl, sob, wail, whine, sigh |
| growl | snarl, rumble, roar, grumble, mutter |
| gruff | hoarse, husky, raspy, rough, gravelly, harsh |
| grumble | mutter, mumble, grunt, murmur, moan, groan, wail, whine |
| gurgling | rumbling, growling, grunting, echoing, bellowing, reverberating |
| guttural | low, raspy, thick, throaty, gravelly, gruff, husky, growly |
| harsh | hoarse, raspy, screeching, ear-piercing, shrill, squawky, tinny, |
| high-pitched | shrill, piercing, screeching, sharp, shrieking, falsetto |
| honeyed | flattering, complimentary, praising, commending, sugarcoated |
| honky | blaring, loud, screechy, trumpeting, bellowing |
| husky | croaky, gruff, coarse, throaty, raspy, gravelly, rough, harsh, deep |
| impassioned | hearty, eager, passionate, enthusiastic, intense, spirited |
| indignant | angry, furious, irate, incensed, enraged, infuriated, mad |
| informal | relaxed, casual, easy, friendly, open, natural, easygoing |
| inquisitive | curious, prying, intrusive, interfering, meddling, probing, inquiring |
| irreverent | cheeky, mocking, sassy, saucy, tongue-in-cheek, disrespectful |
| jittery | excitable, skittish, jumpy, fluttery, flighty, highly strung, hyperactive |
| jovial | jolly, merry, cheerful, happy, buoyant, joyful, sprightly |
| joyful | happy, delighted, glad, jubilant, elated, blissful, beaming, ecstatic |
| lilting | melodic, musical, tuneful, smooth, silvery, harmonious |
| low-pitched | deep, bass, gruff, throaty, rumbling, full, rich, strong |
| matter of fact | candid, honest, methodical, orderly, direct, frank, straightforward |
| melodic | tuneful, harmonious, lyrical, rhythmic, pleasant, smooth, soft |
| mocking | sarcastic, taunting, sneering, scornful, insulting, jeering |
| modulated | muffled, recited, relaxed, controlled, subdued, restrained, tempered |
| monotonous | flat, boring, dull, tedious, dreary, pedestrian, drab, stale |
| mutter | mumble, murmur, mouth, whisper, babble, voice, utter |
| nasally | high-pitched, muffled, slurred, thick, twangy |
| nostalgic | romantic, sentimental, emotional, schmaltzy, corny, mushy, soppy |
| optimistic | promising, encouraging, hopeful, positive, encouraging |
| outraged | angry, irate, furious, incensed, enraged, livid, mad, fuming |
| penetrating | carrying, loud, deep, intrusive, clearly audible, piercing |
| pessimistic | gloomy, bleak, hopeless, negative, despondent, defeatist, glum |
| piercing | penetrating, intense, puncturing, resounding, booming, shrieking |
| pleading | imploring, begging, demanding |
| plummy | deep, full, mellow, rich |
| pressed | weighted, urged, pressured, rushed |
| quiet | soft, low, muted, muffled, faint, inaudible, hushed, whispered |
| raspy | croaky, grating, gravelly, gruff, hoarse, husky, scratchy, throaty |
| raw | frank, brutal, gritty, direct, blunt, honest, plain, straightforward |
| reedy | faint, high-pitched, shrill, small, weak, soft, subdued, feeble |
| remorseful | repentant, sorry, apologetic |
| resonant | resounding, loud, deep, booming, rich, full |
| righteous | virtuous, honest, upright, moral, ethical, principled, honourable |
| ringing | piercing, loud, booming, blasting, echoing, throbbing, blaring |
| rough | gruff, coarse, croaky, dry, harsh, cracked, guttural, hoarse, husky |
| rumbling | whirring, vibrating, bubbling, murmuring, drawling, bellowing |
| sandy | gritty, gravelly, granular, grainy, crumbly |
| sarcastic | ridiculing, mocking, sneering, biting, scathing, snide |
| scornful | contemptuous, scoffing, disparaging, insulting, derogatory |
| sentimental | nostalgic, soppy, mushy, dewy-eyed, heartrending |
| shriek | howl, scream, screech, squeal, yell, squawk, wail |
| shrill | high-pitched, piercing, screeching, ear-piercing, penetrating |
| silvery | soft, sweet, melodic, musical, lyrical, pleasant, sweet-sounding |
| sincere | genuine, true, honest, heartfelt, wholehearted, authentic |
| small | humble, modest, simple, lowly, unassuming, menial |
| smoky | mellow, hazy, sooty, murky, dirty |
| softly spoken | gently, delicately, faintly, gingerly, quietly, smoothly, tenderly |
| solemnly | soberly, earnestly, seriously, gravely, firmly, sincerely |
| sorrowful | sad, melancholy, unhappy, heartbroken, downhearted, glum, down |
| squawky | screeching, grating, raucous, jarring, hoarse, noisy, raspy |
| strained | uneasy, tense, unrelaxed, edgy, stiff, troubled, stilted |
| stressed | anxious, tense, distressed, strained, worried, frazzled, edgy, jittery |
| strident | screeching, jarring, harsh, raucous, shrill, loud, piercing |
| superior | arrogant, condescending, patronising, snobbish, pretentious |
| sympathetic | compassionate, caring, considerate, kind, supportive |
| taut | tense, stiff, unyielding, hardened, strained |
| threatening | intimidating, hostile, fearsome, bullying, aggressive, scary |
| throaty | gruff, husky, hoarse, croaky, gravelly, guttural, thick, raspy |
| toneless | expressionless, dispassionate, wooden, unemotional, deadpan |
| twangy | drawly, dull, dragging, slow, monotonous |
| unbiased | fair, impartial, just, equitable, neutral |
| undertone | undercurrent, whisper, mutter, implication, suspicion |
| unforgiving | cruel, heartless, merciless, ruthless, callous |
| warm | friendly, affable, cordial, kindly, hospitable, loving, amicable |
| whiny | sulky, petulant, irritable, testy, grouchy, surly |
| whispering | muttering mumbling, hushed tone, murmuring, soft |
| wobbly | shaky, unstable, unsteady, rickety, wonky, flimsy, frail |
pls tell the meaning too
This actually helps me a lot as an amateur screenwriter. I’ve had a lot of past trouble describing how I want lines delivered, but this helps a lot!
Excellent! Thanks for your feedback, Elliot.
Wonderful list! Thank you for compiling this list. I will use these terms to help students grasp what their voice should reflect on stage.
Thank you kindly for your above list of words describing a vocal performance. I am actually using a few words from this list for the writing of my College English Descriptive Writing Essay. The basis of this Assignment is a vocal rendition of the song, “Nothing Compares 2 You”, written and initially recorded by Prince in 1985 with his group, The Family. Yet, you may best recall it as a 1990 hit by Sinead O’Connor.
Most Sincerely,
C. LoxGrant of Massachusetts
Fantastic!
List of words now alphabetical by column, repeated words deleted, optimised for mobile view.
Love it, Jeff! Thanks for sharing.
I have my students break it down this way: pitch, rate, volume, and quality. To discover how a voice is dynamically structured, they look at the first three (low and high, fast and slow, loud and soft, all in some combination and range). Then we look at qualities, and those contain any adjective like those in your list. Some of them are partly built from pitch, rate, and volume, but many are influenced by placement, resonance, rhythm, etc. This approach has enabled my students to be remarkable specific in defining what they hear and also clear about the way they might manipulate their voice (or be manipulated by it) in the creation of their characters.