susurrations

susurrations — noun

1. Gentle, continuous sounds like the soft whispering of many voices, the quiet rus

1.名詞C1
釋義

Gentle, continuous sounds like the soft whispering of many voices, the quiet rustling of leaves in a light wind, or water flowing in a steady, low murmur.

例句

The forest was quiet except for the soft susurrations of leaves in the breeze.

collocation: susurrations of leaves

Jiwoo heard the soft susurrations of monks chanting evening prayers from the temple courtyard.

collocation: susurrations of [people + verb-ing]

同義詞
  • murmur

    More general; can describe any indistinct, continuous low sound, including human conversation; less literary than susurrations.

  • whisper

    Can describe a single person speaking softly; susurrations imply a collective or ambient sound, not an individual action.

  • rustle

    Specifically a light, dry sound of something moving (e.g. leaves, paper, fabric); narrower in scope than susurrations, which also covers water and voices.

  • hum

    A low, steady, continuous sound, often mechanical or electrical; lacks the soft, breathy quality of susurrations.

反義詞
  • roar

    A very loud, deep, prolonged sound — opposite in volume and intensity.

  • clamor

    A loud, confused noise, especially of people shouting — opposite in register and volume.

  • thunder

    A loud, explosive sound — opposite in both volume and quality.

文法句型

susurrations + of + [noun (leaves, voices, water, wind, rain)]

用法筆記

Typically used in the plural form (susurrations) in literary or descriptive writing. The singular (susurration) is rare. Subject is usually a natural or atmospheric sound source — leaves, wind, water, or indistinct human voices.

常見錯誤

❌I heard the susurrations of my friend talking on the phone.
✅I heard the murmur of my friend talking on the phone.
💡Susurrations describes a diffuse, gentle sound from many sources, not a single nearby voice.
❌There was a loud susurration from the crowd.
✅There was a low murmur from the crowd.
💡Susurrations refer to a soft, gentle sound, not a loud one.
❌He spoke in susurrations.
✅He spoke in a whisper.
💡Susurrations describe a surrounding atmosphere of sound, not the act of one person speaking quietly.