Melodious
What it means
Pleasant to hear because of a smooth, musical quality.
Reach for it when praising a voice, call, passage, or sequence of sounds
A melodious whistle drifted from the open workshop door.
Words to choose between 9
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm |
|
| professional | |
| formal | |
| literary |
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everyday
Fits when pleasing variation of pitch is enough
Careful Musical can describe ability or structure without saying the sound is pleasant.
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everyday
sweet-sounding
Fits when plain description is more useful than a literary adjective
Careful Sweet-sounding can feel childish and does not capture complex beauty.
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warm
Fits when a clear, pleasing tune is easy to follow
Careful Tuneful fits music better than speech or natural sounds.
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professional
Fits when notes or voices combine agreeably
Careful A single melodic line can be melodious without any harmony.
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formal
Fits when harmonious sound combinations are the analytical focus
Careful Euphonious is technical and may feel cold for a beloved voice.
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formal
pleasing to the ear
Fits when the judgment should be stated without musical jargon
Careful This explanatory wording leaves the source of the pleasing sound unnamed.
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literary
Suits sweet, soothing tones in elevated prose
Careful Dulcet is old-fashioned and can be read as ironic.
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literary
lilting
Fits when a light, buoyant rise and fall creates appeal
Careful Lilting implies a particular rhythm and can sound overly cheerful.
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literary
Fits when richness and smooth flow deserve emphasis
Careful Mellifluous is more ornate and can sound affected in simple praise.
Opposites 3
- discordant
- grating
- harsh
Common phrases 3
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melodious voice
His melodious voice made the long list of names easy to hear.
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melodious sound
A melodious sound rose from the handmade pipes.
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rich and melodious
The restored organ now sounds rich and melodious.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated