vocal cords

plural noun

: either of two pairs of folds of mucous membranes that project into the cavity of the larynx and have free edges extending dorsoventrally toward the middle line

Examples of vocal cords in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ayala said one of the bullets struck Fernanda in the throat, missing her vocal cords and jugular vein. — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026

But — at 82 and with 55 years of doing that scream weighing on his vocal cords — Daltrey has handed it off to the crowd. — Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 3 Sep. 2026

Every Wednesday night, warm up your vocal cords with karaoke. — Morgan Rizzo, Travel + Leisure, 20 Aug. 2026

An evaluation by an otolaryngologist (ENT specialist) allegedly identified scarring and trauma to Smyth’s vocal cords consistent with injury from a sharp foreign object. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1757, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for vocal cords

• harpsichords
• overlords
• storyboards
• accords
• affords
• awards
• billboards
• blackboards
• clapboards
• dashboards
• discords
• floorboards

Kids Definition

vocal cords

plural noun

: either of two pairs of elastic folds of tissue in the larynx of which the lower pair produce the voice when air exhaled from the lungs causes them to vibrate