# voice

/ˈvɔɪs/ (US) · /vˈɔɪs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/voice
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. sound of speaking/singing

noun · CEFR A2

the sound you make through your mouth when you speak or sing.

For teachers: the sound produced by the vibration of the vocal cords in human speech or song.

- She had a very soft voice, so I had to lean in to hear her.
- The singer's voice resonated throughout the auditorium, capturing the audience's attention with its remarkable range and clarity.

### 2. opinion or influence

noun · CEFR B1

the right to express your opinion or have a say in a decision.

For teachers: the expression of a particular opinion or the right to participate in a decision-making process.

- The students wanted a voice in how the school spent its budget.
- Citizens demanded a stronger voice in the legislative process, arguing that their concerns were being ignored by the local council.

### 3. literary style

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

the unique style or personality of a writer or a character in a book.

For teachers: the distinctive style or manner of expression of an author or a character within a literary work.

- The author uses a funny, youthful voice to tell the story.
- Critics praised the novelist for developing a unique narrative voice that felt both authentic to the setting and emotionally resonant.

### 4. grammatical category

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a way of using verbs to show if the subject is doing the action or receiving it.

For teachers: a grammatical category that describes the relationship between the action expressed by a verb and the participants identified by its arguments.

- In the sentence 'The cake was eaten,' the verb is in the passive voice.
- The professor advised the students to use the active voice in their essays to make their arguments more direct and engaging.

Usage: Commonly refers to 'active voice' or 'passive voice'.

### 5. musical part

noun · CEFR B2

one of the different parts or melodies in a piece of music.

For teachers: an independent melodic line or instrumental part within a polyphonic composition.

- The choir has four different voices: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass.
- The fugue features four distinct voices that enter one after another, creating a complex layer of harmony.

### 6. to express an opinion

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

to say what you think or feel out loud.

For teachers: to give verbal expression to a thought, feeling, or opinion.

- Several employees voiced their concerns about the new office rules.
- During the town hall meeting, residents were encouraged to voice any objections they had to the proposed construction project.

### 7. to provide a character's sound

verb · CEFR B1

to provide the speech for a character in a cartoon or video game.

For teachers: to perform the vocal part of a character in an animated film, television show, or game.

- The famous actor was chosen to voice the hero in the new animated movie.
- She has voiced dozens of characters in popular video games, ranging from small children to elderly villains.

## Examples

- She has a very soft and gentle voice.
- The singer lost her voice after performing three concerts in a row during the cold winter week.
- The novelist spent years refining her narrative voice to ensure the protagonist's internal struggles felt authentic and immediate to the reader.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.