Definition

The condition of having a rough or harsh voice, often due to irritation or illness.

Example

After shouting at the concert, I woke up with a bad case of hoarseness.

Conversation

I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather lately.

Oh no, do you have a sore throat or something?

Yeah, and now I’m starting to notice some hoarseness in my voice.

That sounds uncomfortable; you should drink some warm tea!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Hoarseness is formed from "hoarse" (from Old English *hars*, meaning rough or harsh) and the suffix "-ness" (meaning the state or quality of). The word describes the state of having a rough or harsh voice.

Memory Tip

Think of the word 'hoarse' which means rough, and remember that 'hoarseness' refers to the quality of having a rough voice.

Visually Confused Words