gravelly voice
Sandpaper vocal quality
A gravelly voice is rough and low-pitched, as if the speaker had gravel in their throat.
The quality comes from vocal cords that are naturally coarse, damaged by age or smoking, or deliberately roughened for effect: His gravelly voice made everything sound like a threat.
The term usually describes men's voices and often carries connotations of toughness or world-weariness.
- huskyRough-voiced or stocky
- raspyRough and grating
- hoarseRough in voice
- gruffHarsh in manner
- scratchyRough and irritating
rough · sandpaper · vocal fry · whiskey · smoke · cigarettes · chain smoker · worn · worn out · weathered · deep · throaty · croaky · rumble · grit · texture · singer · bluesman
- Voice Disordersdysphonia, aphonia, hoarseness, spasmodic dysphonia, vocal strain
- speechspeech, speaking, talk, diction, conversation
- quiet voiceswhisper, murmur, hush, undertone, soft tone
- voice changesdeepening, puberty, hormonal changes, cracking, high pitch