voice
/vɔɪs/ (bre, ipa) · /vɔɪs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈvȯis/ (ame, mw)
voice — noun
- voicesingular
- voicesplural
1. the sounds that a person makes when they speak or sing, created by air from the
the sounds that a person makes when they speak or sing, created by air from the lungs passing through the throat and out through the mouth.
Sari has a very soft voice, so people often ask her to speak up.
collocation: soft voice / loud voice
Wei heard a familiar voice calling his name from across the street.
The teacher told Jude to read the poem aloud in a clear voice.
Voices from the crowd grew louder as the concert was about to start.
Meera's voice trembled with excitement when she announced the winner.
- silence
the absence of any sound or speech
文法句型
a/an + voice
someone's voice
voice + verb
用法筆記
When describing a person's voice, common adjectives include soft, loud, deep, high, clear, hoarse, and trembling. The verb 'to lose your voice' means to become unable to speak, usually because of illness.
常見錯誤
2. the quality, range, or strength of a singer's performance, including the ability
the quality, range, or strength of a singer's performance, including the ability to control pitch and expression while making music with the voice.
Noa has trained her voice for years and now sings opera professionally.
train one's voice
The choir director said Cyrus has a voice that can fill a concert hall.
collocation: a voice that fills a hall
Femi's voice cracked during the high note at the end of the song.
Élise takes singing lessons every week to improve her voice.
A good singing voice is not enough — a performer also needs stage presence.
- vocal range
more technical; refers to the span from lowest to highest note a singer can produce
- timbre
technical term for the unique quality or colour of a voice or instrument
文法句型
a beautiful/good/strong voice
someone's voice
用法筆記
This sense is specific to musical singing. Use 'vocal cords' for the physical organs, 'voice' for the sound quality. 'To find your voice' in singing means discovering your natural singing style.
常見錯誤
3. the chance and right to state what you think, with the expectation that others w
the chance and right to state what you think, with the expectation that others will take it seriously when they decide something.
The student council gives every member a voice in school policy decisions.
collocation: have a voice in [decisions]
Workers at the factory demanded a voice in how the company was managed.
demand a voice in
Social media has given ordinary citizens a stronger voice in public debates.
Charlotte felt that her voice was never heard during the team meetings.
The new law aims to give a voice to people with disabilities in local planning.
- say
informal; 'have a say' is common and similar but slightly less formal than 'have a voice'
- input
focuses on contributing ideas rather than having decision-making influence
- representation
more formal; implies being spoken for by a chosen delegate
文法句型
a/the voice in something
have a voice
give someone a voice
用法筆記
Often used in political or organisational contexts. 'Have a voice' implies more than just speaking — it means being listened to and having influence. Common with 'in' (a voice in decisions).
常見錯誤
4. a person, organization, piece of writing, or set of opinions that expresses the
a person, organization, piece of writing, or set of opinions that expresses the views, feelings, or interests of a particular group of people or a particular quality in society.
Harper has become the leading voice for climate policy reform in the Senate.
collocation: a leading voice for
This newspaper claims to be the voice of the working class in the city.
the voice of [group]
Vinícius wrote a book that gives a voice to young immigrants in his community.
Several prominent voices in the tech industry criticised the proposed law.
The charity aims to be a strong voice for children living in poverty.
- spokesperson
more official; implies a formal role of speaking on behalf of an organisation
- representative
broader; can mean someone elected or chosen to act for others
- advocate
stronger connotation of actively supporting a cause
- opponent
someone who argues against a view or group
文法句型
the voice of [group/quality]
a voice for [group]
be the voice of
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3 (RIGHT TO SPEAK): sense 3 is about the opportunity or right to express opinions, while this sense is about the person or entity that actually expresses them, or the opinion itself considered as a representative force. Often used with 'for' or 'of': 'a voice for the poor', 'the voice of reason'.
常見錯誤
5. a grammar term describing how a verb connects to its subject — specifically, whe
a grammar term describing how a verb connects to its subject — specifically, whether the subject does the action (active voice, as in 'The cat chased the mouse') or receives the action (passive voice, as in 'The mouse was chased by the cat').
In English the passive voice is formed with the verb 'be' and a past participle.
passive voice formation: be + past participle
Brandon's teacher told him to rewrite the essay in the active voice where possible.
collocation: active voice
Changing a sentence from active to passive voice shifts the focus to the object.
The verb 'wrote' is in the active voice, while 'was written' is in the passive.
Most academic papers use the passive voice less often than they did fifty years ago.
文法句型
active voice
passive voice
in the active/passive voice
用法筆記
In grammar, 'voice' is a technical term. It applies only to verbs and their subjects. The active voice ('The dog chased the cat') focuses on the doer. The passive voice ('The cat was chased by the dog') focuses on the receiver of the action. Some writing guides recommend using active voice more often because it makes sentences clearer and more direct.
常見錯誤
voice — verb
- voicepresent simple I / you / we / they
- voices3rd person singular
- voicing-ing form
- voicedpast simple
1. to put a feeling, doubt, objection, or strong opinion into words, especially whe
to put a feeling, doubt, objection, or strong opinion into words, especially when you want it to be heard and taken seriously.
Several parents voiced their concerns about the new school lunch menu.
collocation: voice concerns about [topic]
Anya voiced her support for the proposal during the team meeting.
collocation: voice support for [proposal]
The employees voiced their complaints about the unsafe working conditions.
Chidi voiced doubts about whether the project could be finished on schedule.
The report gave employees a safe way to voice their opinions without fear.
- express
broader; can be done through words, art, or behaviour
- state
more neutral and factual; less emotional than 'voice'
- articulate
suggests expressing something clearly and carefully
- utter
more formal and literary; can mean just making a sound
文法句型
voice + noun (opinion, concern, doubt, complaint)
voice + that-clause
用法筆記
More formal than 'say' or 'tell'. Common in professional, political, and journalistic contexts. The object is typically an abstract noun: concern, opinion, doubt, complaint, support, objection, or criticism. Frequently used with 'about' or 'that-clause'.
常見錯誤
2. to provide the speaking role for an animated or off-screen figure — for instance
to provide the speaking role for an animated or off-screen figure — for instance, performing the lines written for a cartoon character in a movie or video game, or narrating a factual programme.
A famous Hollywood actress voiced the main character in the animated film.
voice + a character in [medium]
Emily voiced the wise old dragon in the children's video game.
voice + a character in a video game
Sven was asked to voice the narrator for the nature documentary.
The actor who voiced the cartoon rabbit also sings on the soundtrack.
Caio voiced several minor characters in the popular fantasy series.
- narrate
more specific; refers to telling a story or describing events, not performing a character's lines
- lend your voice to
idiomatic; emphasises the contribution of one's vocal talent to a project
文法句型
voice + a character
voice + a role
voice + a film/programme
用法筆記
Common in the entertainment industry. The person doing the voicing is called a 'voice actor'. This sense does NOT mean simply speaking lines on screen — it specifically refers to off-screen or animated-character performance.
常見錯誤
3. to produce a speech sound with the vocal cords vibrating, creating what is calle
to produce a speech sound with the vocal cords vibrating, creating what is called a voiced sound in contrast to an unvoiced or voiceless sound.
The difference between 'f' and 'v' is that the 'v' sound is voiced.
is voiced = passive construction
In English the 'z' sound is voiced while the 's' sound is not.
Phonetics students learn which consonants are voiced and which are voiceless.
Ife placed her hand on her throat to feel whether the sound was voiced.
The 'b' and 'p' sounds share the same mouth position, but 'b' is voiced.
- vocalise
broader; can mean making any kind of vocal sound, not just a specific speech sound
- unvoiced
also called voiceless; a speech sound produced without vibrating the vocal cords
文法句型
a sound is voiced
voice a consonant
用法筆記
This is a technical phonetics term rarely used in everyday conversation. Learners at C1 level may encounter it when studying pronunciation or phonology. The opposite is 'unvoiced' or 'voiceless'. Common pairs: b/p, d/t, g/k, z/s, v/f, zh/sh.