1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

raspy

adjective

ˈra-spē How to pronounce raspy (audio)
Definition of raspynext
1
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed overwork tends to make him raspy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hoarse
harsh and dry in sound the dying man spoke in a barely audible, raspy voice

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of raspy The prize, which was auctioned off by Odenkirk, who assumed the role of a hypeman in a top hat and spoke in a raspy voice, included an autographed script of the highest bidder’s favorite episode and an invitation to a live reading of the show for up to three guests. — Charlie Vargas, Daily News, 8 May 2026 My range is so reduced, and the quality of my voice is raspy. — Nina Agrawal, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2026 So, too, is the film’s music, composer Anthony Willis and soundtrack artist Charli XCX entwining raspy strings with grimy, ominous shudders. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026 The raspy voice on the other end of the line gave the intruder instructions. — Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 4 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for raspy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raspy
  1. irritable
  2. hoarse
  3. fiery
  4. gruff
  5. husky
Adjective
  • Coach There’s no better feeling than walking into your last show of the day, irritable and hungry, only to discover that snacks are being served.
    — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
  • If a relative or housemate seems irritable, ask what’s going on instead of working around the mood.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of irritable
Adjective
  • Now life was like that; some days fine and firm and full of whatever, while other days the hoarse bark of the neighbors’ dog or a friend’s grim diagnosis and her body succumbed to an emotional gravity that pulled her into a free fall.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Singers didn’t want their voices to get hoarse over the long night or week.
    — Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of hoarse
Adjective
  • The September full moon, commonly known as the harvest moon, is almost here, bringing a fiery burst of energy as the fall season gets underway.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The fiery crash in the 6500 block of Nova Drive east of College Avenue involved a utility pole and caused a power outage in the area.
    — Miami Herald staff, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of fiery
Adjective
  • We were taught by a gruff cockney called Fred Waring, who had participated in the D-Day landings in a regiment that had fought its way across Europe towards Berlin and liberated the concentration camp at Belsen.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Sep. 2026
  • His only hope to get home turns out to be Nick (Kenneth Branagh), a gruff ex-KGB agent who loves American pop culture and is really good in a fight.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of gruff
Adjective
  • Her husky voice made Pugh, as an up-and-comer, seem wise beyond her years in breakout roles as a Machiavellian teenage bride in Lady Macbeth and an actor turned spy in The Little Drummer Girl.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Tyler, after a brief recovery period, returned to the recording studio with a huskier, edgier voice.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Definition of husky

Browse Nearby Words

rasps
raspy
rassle
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Raspy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raspy. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of heterodox

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All