gravelly

/ˈɡrævəli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɡrævəli/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgra-v(ə-)lē/ (ame, mw)

gravelly — 形容詞

  • gravellypositive
  • more gravellycomparative
  • most gravellysuperlative

1. describes a voice, most often a man's, that sounds deep, slightly hoarse, and a

1.形容詞C1
釋義

低沉沙啞

形容嗓音低沉、粗糙、帶磨砂感

describes a voice, most often a man's, that sounds deep, slightly hoarse, and a little harsh — as if the speaker is talking through a sore throat or after years of smoking

例句

Felipe answered the phone in a gravelly voice that suggested he had just woken up.

Felipe 以低沉沙啞的嗓音接起電話，聽起來像是剛睡醒。

predicative use after a state verb: in a gravelly voice

The old radio host was famous for his gravelly tone and warm laugh.

那位資深廣播主持人以低沉沙啞的音色和爽朗的笑聲聞名。

attributive: gravelly + tone/voice

同義詞
  • husky

    softer and breathier; less harsh than gravelly

  • hoarse

    implies temporary roughness from illness or shouting

  • raspy

    drier, scratchier quality; close synonym but slightly thinner

  • rasping

    emphasises the scraping quality; can describe non-vocal sounds too

反義詞
  • smooth

    easy and even in sound, no roughness

  • silky

    soft and pleasingly polished

用法筆記

Almost always paired with voice-related nouns (voice, tone, whisper, laugh, growl). Often carries a positive or characterful association — gravelly voices are commonly admired in singers and storytellers — rather than purely negative.

常見錯誤

❌The music was gravelly.
✅The singer's voice was gravelly.
💡describe the voice or sound source, not the music itself.

2. covered with, made up of, or full of small loose stones — typically used of path

2.形容詞C1
釋義

碎石遍布

鋪滿或含有許多小石子的

covered with, made up of, or full of small loose stones — typically used of paths, beaches, soil, or roads

例句

Élise hiked along a gravelly path that wound up the hillside behind the village.

Élise 沿著一條碎石遍布的小徑，蜿蜒爬上村子後方的山坡。

collocation: gravelly path

The truck rattled loudly as it crossed the gravelly road outside the farm.

卡車駛過農場外那條碎石遍布的道路時，發出很大的聲響。

collocation: gravelly road

同義詞
  • stony

    wider — any size of stone; gravelly implies small loose ones

  • pebbly

    stones are rounded and water-smoothed; common for beaches

  • rocky

    larger stones or solid rock; rougher terrain than gravelly

反義詞
  • smooth

    no loose stones; even surface

  • sandy

    fine grains rather than small stones

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense describes physical surfaces and only attaches to terrain nouns (path, road, soil, beach, shore). It is never used of voices or sounds.

常見錯誤

❌a gravelly stone
✅a gravelly path
💡gravelly describes a surface made of small stones, not an individual stone.