Are you writing an antagonist that is frightening and need some words to describe a scary voice? Read on to learn about 10 suitable words you can incorporate in your description of the villain in your novel.
1. Low
Definition
Meant to not attract attention; low in strength; not loud; unfavorable.
Examples
“He spoke in a low voice and it made a chill run up and down her spine.”
“When he spoke, his voice was low and threatening, and he knew that he had to find some way to get away quickly.”
How It Adds Description
When someone speaks in a low voice, it’s often because they don’t want to be heard by other people. This could be because the character speaking is saying something to threaten another character, in which case other characters would find them very scary.
2. Rasping
Definition
Producing a harsh or grating tone; coarse.
Examples
“The voice was rasping, though he could still understand every word perfectly.”
“Whoever was speaking on the other side of the door had a rasping voice, and what he was saying didn’t make her feel any more comfortable.”
How It Adds Description
Someone who speaks in an unusual voice, especially one that is rasping, may seem threatening and scary. Rasping generally has a negative, uncomfortable connotation. A character in the story may find the person speaking with the rasping voice scary and unsettling because of the way it sounds.
3. Chilling
Definition
Frightening or extremely disturbing, to the point where it may cause a cold sensation.
Examples
“As she spoke, her words were chilling and he found no comfort at all in her voice.”
“The man’s chilling voice surprised him—he hadn’t even realized that someone else was in the room.”
How It Adds Description
If something is so unsettling that it triggers a cold sensation in your body, then it can be described as chilling. Perhaps the voice itself in your story is chilling, or maybe what they’re saying to another character is making shivers run up their spine.
4. Booming
Definition
Making a loud, deep, or forceful sound.
Examples
“He spoke in a loud, booming voice that made everyone in the room freeze immediately.”
“The booming voice rang out around them, giving them pause, but no one could figure out where it was coming from.”
How It Adds Description
There are lots of great ways to make a voice feel unsettling in your story, but if you want the voice to be a little bolder, booming is a great word to use. Something that is very loud can be quite startling, so a booming voice is a good way to surprise your characters.
5. Deafening
Definition
Very loud; causing an inability to hear; noticeable.
Examples
“The voice was so loud that it was almost deafening.”
“Whoever was speaking had a loud, deafening voice that made her jump.”
How It Adds Description
This is another great word to use if you are looking for something that is going to be scary in a more upfront way rather than an unsettling one. Something that sounds so loud that it makes your characters feel like they are going deaf can be quite frightening and it can surprise your characters.
6. Piercing
Definition
Shrill or loud to the extent that it feels penetrating; cutting.
Examples
“The woman’s piercing voice made all of them jump.”
“The man had seemed demure at first, but suddenly his voice was piercing as he spoke with increasing anger.”
How It Adds Description
Using the word piercing to describe a voice can imply that it is almost painful to listen to. Even though it’s not actually physically harming your characters, you can make the voice feel much more frightening for both your characters and your readers by using this word to show that it feels as if it hurts to listen to.
7. Angry
Definition
Demonstrating feelings of anger.
Examples
“Her voice was loud and angry, and he didn’t think he’d ever heard her like that before.”
“The voice of whoever was speaking wasn’t just loud—it was angry and it made her feel as though she should get out of the room immediately.”
How It Adds Description
There are lots of great words to describe how a voice feels physically, but bringing emotion into the mix can make it even more frightening. The scary voice in your story might be quite angry which can help to put readers and characters on edge.
8. Wrathful
Definition
Full of wrath; having vengeance or feelings of indignation or anger.
Examples
“The man had a wrathful voice that made everyone pay attention to his words.”
“As the wrathful voice continued, he could feel the crowd around him growing more and more tense.”
How It Adds Description
This is another great word to help show the emotion of the voice in your story. Someone who is wrathful is likely seeking vengeance or is very angry. When you use this word to describe a voice, you can infer that whoever is speaking may be dangerous.
9. Hair-Raising
Definition
Causing feelings of terror or astonishment.
Examples
“He spoke in a hair-raising voice that instantly had everyone in the room feeling nervous.”
“Someone down the hall was speaking, and the hair-raising voice made her feel even more scared than she already did.”
How It Adds Description
If something is creepy or unnerving, then it can make your hair stand on end. That’s what this word means. The voice in your story may be hair-raising and cause your other characters, and by extension, your readers, to feel anxious about it.
10. Dreadful
Definition
Inspiring or causing feelings of dread; extremely shocking, unpleasant, or distasteful.
Examples
“The man’s voice was dreadful, and it made her feel as though she had to get as far away as possible right away.”
“She could hear someone’s dreadful voice from far away, and it made it shiver.”
How It Adds Description
Show your readers that the voice in your story is a truly frightening one by describing it as dreadful. Since dreading something means fearing it greatly or having feelings of reluctance to encounter something, using this word to describe the voice in your story can help create feelings of suspense.