adjective
-
gratingly harsh or raucous in tone
-
low, harsh, and lacking in intensity
a hoarse whisper
-
having a husky voice, as through illness, shouting, etc
Other Word Forms
- hoarsely adverb
- hoarseness noun
Etymology
Origin of hoarse
1350–1400; Middle English hors < Old Norse *hārs (assumed variant of hāss ); replacing Middle English hoos, Old English hās, cognate with Old High German heis, Old Saxon hēs
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The way I got into the voice was that I would have to scream myself hoarse.
From Los Angeles Times
“Monday morning,” he said in a hoarse voice.
From Literature
But Ms. W.’s voice was deteriorating at an alarming speed, because now she could only speak in a hoarse whisper, and everybody had to stop with their “please”ing just to hear her.
From Literature
He ended up a little thinner, a little paler, and a lot hoarser than before.
From Literature
Her face is flushed, her voice hoarse, and tears roll down her wet cheeks.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
