Glossary of onomatopeas

GLOSSARY FOR ONOMATOPOEIA
ahem

the utterance of a sound similar to clearing the throat

balk

refuse to comply

bam

a sudden very loud noise

bang

the swift release of a store of affective force

bark

the sound made by a dog

bash

hit hard
bawl

cry loudly
beep

a short high tone produced as a signal or warning

belch

expel gas from the stomach

bellow

make a loud noise, as of an animal

blare

make a loud noise

bleat

the sound of sheep or goats (or any sound resembling this)

bling

flashy, ostentatious jewelry

blub

cry or whine with snuffling

blurt

utter impulsively

bong

a dull resonant sound as of a bell

boom

a deep prolonged loud noise

bubble

a hollow globule of gas (e.g., air or carbon dioxide)

bump

an impact (as from a collision)

buzz

the sound of rapid vibration

caw

utter a cry, characteristic of crows, rooks, or ravens

chant

a repetitive song in which syllables are assigned to a tone

chatter

talk socially without exchanging too much information

cheep

the short weak cry of a young bird

chirp

a sharp sound made by small birds or insects

chitter

make high-pitched sounds, as of birds

chug

make a dull, explosive sound

clang

a loud resonant repeating noise

clang

a loud resonant repeating noise

clatter

a rattling noise

click

a short light metallic sound

clink

a short light metallic sound

cluck

the sound made by a hen (as in calling her chicks)

clunk

a heavy dull sound (as made by impact of heavy objects)

coo

the sound made by a pigeon

crackle

make a crackling sound

crash

break violently or noisily

crawl

move slowly

croak

a harsh hoarse utterance (as of a frog)

crow

utter shrill sounds like a rooster

crunch

reduce to small pieces or particles by pounding or abrading

dawdle

hang or fall in movement, progress, development, etc.

ding

a ringing sound

ding-dong

the noise made by a bell

drip

flowing in drops

drone

make a monotonous low dull sound

drum

a musical percussion instrument

fizz

become bubbly or frothy or foaming

flick

throw or toss with a quick motion

flutter

flap the wings rapidly or fly with flapping movements

giggle

laugh nervously

glug

make a gurgling sound as of liquid issuing from a bottle

gnash

grind together

gobble

eat hastily without proper chewing

growl

utter or emit low dull rumbling sounds

grunt

issue a low, animal-like noise

gurgle

make sounds similar to bubbling water

gush

flow forth in a sudden stream or jet

hack

chop or cut away

hee-haw

a loud laugh that sounds like a horse neighing

hiccup

(usually plural) the state of having reflex spasms of the diaphragm accompanied by a rapid closure of the glottis producing an audible sound; sometimes a symptom of indigestion

hiss

make a sharp, elongated "s" sound

honk

the cry of a goose (or any sound resembling this)

hum

sing with closed lips

itch

an irritating cutaneous sensation that produces a desire to scratch

jangle

make a sound typical of metallic objects

knock

deliver a sharp blow or push :"He knocked the glass clear across the room"

lickety split

without delay

meander

move or cause to move in a winding or curving course

meow

the sound made by a cat (or any sound resembling this)

mew

cry like a cat

mewl

cry weakly or softly

moo

make a low noise, characteristic of bovines

mumble

talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice

murmur

a low continuous indistinct sound

neigh

make a sound characteristic of a horse

nicker

make a soft sound characteristic of a horse

oink

the short low gruff noise of the kind made by hogs

ping

a sharp high-pitched resonant sound

pipe

a hollow cylindrical shape

plonk

set (something or oneself) down with or as if with a noise

plop

drop something with a plopping sound

plunk

set (something or oneself) down with or as if with a noise

purr

a low vibrating sound typical of a contented cat

quack

the sound made by a duck

quack

the sound made by a duck

rattle

make a series of short, loud sounds

retch

make an unsuccessful effort to vomit; strain to vomit

rip

tear or be torn violently

roar

make a loud noise, as of an animal

rumble

utter or emit low, dull, resonant sounds

rustle

make a dry crackling sound

scrape

cut the surface of; wear away the surface of

scream

utter a sudden loud cry

shuffle

walk by dragging one's feet

shush

silence (someone) by uttering `shush!'

sizzle

make a sound like frying fat

slap

a blow from a flat object (as an open hand)

slash

cut with sweeping strokes; as with an ax or machete

slurp

eat or drink noisily

smack

a blow from a flat object (as an open hand)

snarl

utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone

sniff

perceive by inhaling through the nose

snip

sever or remove by pinching or snipping

snort

a cry or noise made to express displeasure or contempt

splash

cause (a liquid) to spatter about, especially with force

splat

a slat of wood in the middle of the back of a straight chair

sputter

spit up in an explosive manner

squawk

make a harsh, abrupt noise

squeak

make a high-pitched, screeching noise

squeal

utter a high-pitched cry, characteristic of pigs

squelch

suppress or crush completely

squirt

cause to come out in a squirt

squish

put into a container by means of a squirting action

swish

move with or cause to move with a whistling or hissing sound

swoosh

the noise produced by the sudden rush of a fluid

thud

a heavy, dull sound

thump

a heavy dull sound

tinkle

make or emit a high sound

toot

a blast of a horn

trill

a note that alternates with another note a semitone above it

trudge

walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud

tsk

utter `tsk,' `tut,' or `tut-tut,' as in disapproval

tut

utter `tsk,' `tut,' or `tut-tut,' as in disapproval

twang

a sharp vibrating sound (as of a plucked string)

tweet

a weak chirping sound as of a small bird

twitter

make high-pitched sounds, as of birds

vroom

the roaring sound made by a motor that is running at high speed

wail

a cry of sorrow and grief

warble

sing or play with trills

whack

the act of hitting vigorously

whack

the act of hitting vigorously

wham

hit hard
wheeze

the act of breathing with a husky or whistling sound
whine

a complaint uttered in a plaintive way

whinny

the characteristic sounds made by a horse

whip

an instrument with a handle and a flexible lash

whirr

sound of something in rapid motion

whisper

speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords

whizz

move along very quickly

whoop

a loud hooting cry of joy or excitement

woof

the yarn woven across the warp yarn in weaving

yap

bark in a high-pitched tone

yelp

a sharp high-pitched cry

yowl

a loud wail or cry

zap

a sudden event that imparts energy or excitement, usually with a dramatic impact

zing

the activeness of an energetic personality

zip

forceful exertion

zoom

the act of rising upward into the air

GLOSSARY OF PEOPLE ONOMATOPEAS

achoo

sound of sneezing. More sneezing sounds

aha

interjection used to express surprise, triumph, or derision
ahem

clearing one's throat

atchoo

sound of sneezing. More sneezing sounds

babble

to talk enthusiastically or excessively, 2. to utter meaningless or unintelligible sounds. imitative origin.

blab

loose chatter. Also: blabber

blah

nonsense, silly talk

borborygmus

the rumbling sound produced by the movement of gas through the intestines of animals, including humans. Stomach growling.

cham

to chew noisily. Find more chewing noises

click
1. slight sharp sound, eg. camera making a photo. 2. nonvocal suction sound in some languages, 3. to talk noisily or rapidly. The sound made by dolphins is also called "clicking".

In the media: click it or ticket is the name and slogan of a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration campaign aimed at increasing the use of seat belts among young people in the United States. Also: "clunk click, every trip (click the seatbelt on after clunking the car door closed; UK campaign) and: "click, clack, front and back" (click, clack of connecting the seatbelts; AU campaign)

cough

to expel air noisily from the lungs, usually to expel fluids that resonate during breathing

crunch

to chew with a noisy crackling sound, 2. to crush, grind, or tread noisily. Find more chewing noises

cry

1. to call loudly, 2. to weep, 3. verb for the sound of a trumpet (in the poem "Lepanto" by G. K. Chesterton: "... Don John calling through the blast and the eclipse, crying with the trumpet, with the trumpet of his lips"

d'oh

interjection used to express sudden recognition of a foolish blunder or an ironic turn of events, popularized by The Simpsons tv cartoon series, in which main character Homer uses it often. also: doh.

flip-flop

flip-flops are a simple footwear named by sound produced when walking in them

to choke

human disease eat_drink animal

giggle

laugh in a manner suggestive of foolish levity or uncontrollable amusement

gnaw

to bite persistently

hiccup

spasm of the respiratory organs accompanied by a resonant gasping noise. Also: hiccough

huh

interjection used to express surprise, disbelief, or confusion, or as an inquiry inviting affirmative reply, also: uh-huh

humph

interjection used to express doubt or contempt. also: humpf, hmpf

hurrah

exclamation used to express joy, approval, or encouragement. also: hooray

hush

to put at rest, stop talking, make quiet

lisp

to speak with sibilant utterance

mum

sound with closed lips not wanting to speak

mumble

to speak indistinctly

munch

to chew steadily. Find more chewing noises

human eat_drink animal

murmur

subdued continuous sound (often human voices), 2. to murmur, (less common) verb describing the sound of a swarm of bees or flies (as in "murmuring of innumerable bees", from the poem "Come Down, O Maid" by Alfred Lord Tennyson)

mutter

to speak almost inaudibly with closed lips

natter

to chatter aimlessly

oof

sound uttered by someone who is punched in the stomach.

ooh

interjection used to express amazement, joy, or surprise

oomph

strength, power (you need to put more oomph in your story) 2. sex appeal 3. a low pitched grunting or thudding sound (Oomph! grunted the boxer when punched in the gut)

oops

interjection used typically to express mild apology, surprise, or dismay, also: woops, whoops
ouch

interjection expressing pain or displeasure

ow

a typical exclamation expressing pain

phew

used to express relief or fatigue 2. used to express disgust at or as if at an unpleasant odor

prattle

To talk or chatter idly or meaninglessly; babble or prate. Possibly of imitative origin.

psst

sound uttered to get a person's attention without alerting others, to tell a secret for example. often followed by whispering

human
puke
to vomit, of imitative origin
human disease
rabble
to utter words in a rapid and confused manner
human
rail
to complain
human
raspberry
short for raspberry tart, rhyming slang for fart: a sound of contempt made by protruding the tongue between the lips and expelling air forcibly to produce a vibration; broadly : an expression of disapproval or contempt. Also "rasp", "razz" or "Bronx cheer". As in "blowing a raspberry", "making a Bronx cheer". Ref: thesneeze , wikipedia.
human gas crack
ruh-roh
First used by Astro on the cartoon The Jetsons and later by Scooby-Doo in the Scooby-Doo cartoon series; both characters are dogs who speak broken English with the insertion of many r's. Wiktionary
human animal
scream
to utter a shrill piercing cry. note: the vocalization of eagles is often called screaming, although according to this wikipedia article, Bald Eagles normally squeak and have a shrill cry, punctuated by grunts, and the scream that is found in films this is usually the call of a Red-tailed Hawk, dubbed into films for dramatic effect.
human animal
screech
1. a high shrill piercing cry usually expressing pain or terror, 2. the high pitched sound the tires of a car make when it turns at high speed
human human pain animal engine automotive movement crack
scritch
a screech
human animal crack
shazam
exclamation used to introduce an extraordinary deed, story, or transformation - - She prayed for his arrival and shazam! There he was. Shazam is also the name of the wizard in Captain Marvel comics and the title of Marvel comic books.
exclamation human voice surprise
sheesh
interjection used to express disbelief or exasperation. As in: Sheesh, stop shouting at me like that!. Alternative to saying Jesus! in order to be less offensive. Also: geez.
human conversation
shlick shlick shlick
the sound of female masturbation Yahoo answers
shoo
interjection used especially in driving away an unwanted animal
human animal
shriek
to utter a loud sharp cry, screech
human animal
shuffle, shuffle, shuffle
footsteps of someone who does not fully lift feet off the ground while walking (old / injured)
walking human
shuh, shuh, shuh
sound of swimming ("Borreguita and the Coyote: A Tale from Ayutla, Mexico", by Verna Aardema)
human animal movement liquid water
sigh
to emit a deep breath, sometimes expressing weariness
human
skrrreeek
sound of nails on a blackboard (ref)
nails human school scratch crack
sksksksk
Used to express amazement, shock, and excitement, due to it being a common outcome when one types random letters on a keyboard. KnowYourMeme
slobber
to behave (feed) in a careless noisy fashion
human eat_drink animal
slurp
to make a sucking noise while eating or drinking
human eat_drink animal
sneeze
to make an explosive noise to clear the nostrils, probably of imitative origin, see also atchoo
human disease animal
sniff
to draw air audibly up the nose especially for smelling
human eat_drink animal gas
sniffle
to show or express disdain or scorn. also: snuffle
snore
to snort, to make harsh noises through nose and mouth while sleeping
human animal
sob
to catch the breath convulsively, usually when crying
human
squabble
a noisy altercation or quarrel usually over petty matters
human
squall
to cry out loudly
human
squeal
to utter a short shrill cry or noise
human animal
squelch
1. to strike or press with crushing force; crush down; squash. 2. to put down, suppress, or silence, as with a crushing retort or argument. 3. to make a splashing sound. 4. to tread heavily in water, mud, wet shoes, etc., with such a sound.
crack human animal liquid
squirm
To twist one's body with snakelike motions from shame or embarrassment, or to evade a question. Possibly imitative
human movement
suru suru
sound of noodles being sucked (manga)
human eat_drink
susurration
sound of whispering
human
ta-da
interjection, used as mock fanfare to call attention to something remarkable. also: ta-dah, tada
human
tack, tack, tack
sound of thin high heels or pumps. also: tap, tap, tap
walking human
tattle
1. to gossip, 2. to chatter aimlessly (imitative origin)
human
thisshig rrrerrk
sounds coming out of the loudspeaker in the subway during an important announcement (ref)
human voice electronic static noise crack
titter
sound of suppressed giggle
human
tlick
sound of clicking with the tongue ("Misoso: Once Upon a Time Tales from Africa", by Verna Aardema)
human
tsk
pronounced as an alveolar click; often in quick repetition, as an exclamation of contempt, disdain, impatience, etc.
uggh
exclamation expressing pain, frustration or annoyance
human human pain
ugh
1. sound of coughing, 2. used to indicate the sound of a cough or grunt or to express disgust or horror
human human disease
uh-huh
interjection used to indicate affirmation, agreement, or gratification, also: huh
human
uh-oh
interjection used to indicate dismay or concern
human
wahoo
interjection used to express exuberance or enthusiasm or to attract attention
human
weep
to shed tears
human
whee
1. pig vocalization, also: oink, grunt 2. (human) exclamation expressing positive excitement.
animal
wheeze
to breathe with difficulty usually with a whistling sound
human disease animal
whew
exclamation of astonishment or relief making a whistling sound
human
whimper
to moan
human
whine
to utter a low somewhat shrill protracted sound
human
whisper
to speak softly under one's breath
human
whoa
1. command to stop (horse) 2. command to slow an action or thought, often used to express alarm or astonishment
human animal
whooping cough
an infection of the respiratory system caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis (or B. pertussis). It's characterized by severe coughing spells that end in a "whooping" sound when the person breathes in
human disease
whoops
interjection used typically to express mild apology, surprise, or dismay, also: oops, woops
human
woops
interjection used typically to express mild apology, surprise, or dismay, also: oops, whoops
human
wow
interjection used to express amazement
human
wubba lubba dub-dub
Catchphrase used by Rick from the cartoon Rick & Morty Fandom
wuh-uh-uh-uh
the sound of someone muttering, grunting, in protest (Misoso: Once Upon a Time Tales from Africa, by Verna Aardema)
human
yackety-yak
noisy talk. Alternative spelling: 'yakety yak'. Also the title of a famous song by doo-wop group the Coasters (1958). Coasters
human music
yadda yadda
boring or empty talk - often used interjectionally especially in recounting words regarded as too dull or predictable to be worth repeating. also: yada yada
yahoo
1. interjection used to express positive excitement or to attract attention, also: yoo-hoo, 2. popular name for the Grey-crowned Babbler (see babbler)
human animal bird
yammer
to lament
human
yawp
1. to utter a sharp cry; yelp. 2. to talk loudly, raucously, or coarsely.
human human pain
yay
interjection used to express exuberant delight or triumph
human
yeeha, yeehaw, yee-haw
the traditional cry of a cowboy, often as an expression of positive excitement, similar to yahoo
human
yeow
exclamation expressing pain
human pain
yikes
interjection expressing shock and alarm, often for humorous effect: "Yikes! It is cold!"
yippee
interjection used to express exuberant delight or triumph
human
yoink
the "sound" of someone stealing something. the word is spoken to make obvious or humorous the playful theft of an item in front of others. (e.g. "you shouldn't leave your wallet lying around like that...Yoink!". used often in the cartoon series "the Simpsons")
misc human animal movement
yoo-hoo
interjection used to attract attention, also: yahoo
human
yowl
to cry loudly with pain, caterwaul, howl