aphonic

aphonic — adjective

  • aphonicpositive
  • more aphoniccomparative
  • most aphonicsuperlative

1. Producing no sound, or existing without the noise that would normally be expecte

1.adjectiveC2
Definition

Producing no sound, or existing without the noise that would normally be expected.

Example

At dawn, the aphonic fountain stood still in the frozen square.

aphonic + noun for something soundless

The broken speaker stayed aphonic through the entire rehearsal.

pattern: stay + aphonic

Common collocations
  • aphonic fountain
  • aphonic speaker
  • stay aphonic
  • become aphonic
Synonyms
  • silent

    The normal everyday word for not making any sound; 'aphonic' is much rarer and more formal.

  • noiseless

    Often emphasizes smooth movement or operation without noise, especially with machines.

  • mute

    More often used for a person, animal, or device that does not speak or produce voice.

Antonyms
  • noisy

    Making a lot of sound rather than being quiet or soundless.

  • audible

    Able to be heard, rather than absent of sound.

Grammar Patterns

aphonic + noun

be + aphonic

become + aphonic

Usage Note

Often used in formal or literary descriptions of objects or places that are unexpectedly without sound, rather than in everyday conversation.

Common Mistakes

The room felt aphonic after the awkward joke.
The room fell silent after the awkward joke.
'aphonic' is a rare formal word and is unusual for ordinary everyday situations.

2. In phonetics, describing a speech sound made without vibration of the vocal cord

2.adjectiveC2
Definition

In phonetics, describing a speech sound made without vibration of the vocal cords.

Example

The teacher explained that /p/ is aphonic, unlike the voiced /b/.

phonetics: voiceless sound contrasted with voiced sound

In the chart, the aphonic consonants were printed in blue beside their pairs.

collocation: aphonic consonants

Common collocations
  • aphonic consonant
  • aphonic sound
  • aphonic stop
  • aphonic fricative
Synonyms
  • voiceless

    The standard modern term in phonetics; 'aphonic' is rarer and more formal.

  • unvoiced

    Another technical label for the same contrast, especially in older descriptions.

Antonyms
  • voiced

    Describes a sound produced with vocal-cord vibration.

Grammar Patterns

aphonic + consonant

be + aphonic

mark + sound + as + aphonic

Usage Note

Used mainly in phonetics to contrast sounds such as /p/, /t/, and /k/ with voiced sounds like /b/, /d/, and /g/.

Common Mistakes

Spanish b is aphonic.
Spanish p is aphonic, but b is voiced.
'aphonic' only describes speech sounds made without vocal-cord vibration.

3. Affected by aphonia, especially because illness or injury has reduced the voice

3.adjectiveC2
Definition

Affected by aphonia, especially because illness or injury has reduced the voice to a whisper.

Example

After throat surgery, Pedro sounded aphonic and answered every question in whispers.

medical: voice reduced to a whisper

The clinic treated several aphonic singers after the winter flu spread backstage.

collocation: aphonic singers

Common collocations
  • aphonic patient
  • aphonic singer
  • remain aphonic
  • sound aphonic
Synonyms
  • voiceless

    Can describe lack of voice broadly, but it also has the phonetics meaning in sense 2.

  • mute

    Usually sounds stronger or more permanent than the temporary medical loss of voice meant by 'aphonic'.

Antonyms
  • clear-voiced

    Able to speak with a normal, audible voice.

  • resonant

    Describes a full, strong voice rather than one reduced to a whisper.

Grammar Patterns

be + aphonic

sound + aphonic

keep + someone + aphonic

Usage Note

Common in medical or voice-training contexts when someone can only whisper. Unlike sense 1, the silence here comes from a damaged or strained human voice.

Common Mistakes

I felt aphonic after reading quietly all afternoon.
I felt aphonic after shouting through the whole concert.
This sense refers to loss of voice from illness or strain, not ordinary quietness.

Word family

  • aphonia
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

'Silent' is the normal everyday word when something makes no sound. 'Noiseless' often describes movement or machines that operate quietly and smoothly. 'Mute' usually focuses on a person, animal, or device that does not produce voice or speech, and it can suggest a lasting condition. 'Aphonic' is much more formal and technical than all three. In general writing it can describe something unexpectedly soundless, but in specialist contexts it often refers either to speech sounds made without vocal-cord vibration or to a person whose voice has failed through illness or strain. Choose 'aphonic' when the absence of sound matters as a technical or clinical condition, not just as ordinary silence.

silent ↗noiseless ↗mute ↗aphonic ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • become aphonic
  • remain aphonic

Etymology

GreekEnglish

Comes from Greek 'aphonos', meaning 'voiceless' or 'without sound', built from 'a-' meaning 'without' and 'phone' meaning 'voice' or 'sound'. It entered English as a learned formal word, which is why it is still mostly found in technical, medical, or specialist descriptions today.

First known use

1823

1823, in the meaning defined at sense 1a