hoarser; hoarsest
1
: rough or harsh in sound : grating
a hoarse voice
2
: having a hoarse voice
shouted himself hoarse
hoarsely adverb
hoarseness noun

Examples of hoarse in a Sentence

She could only speak in a hoarse whisper. The cold made me a little hoarse.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Justin Sullivan / Getty Images Mr. Biden struggled through the first presidential debate against Trump in June, speaking in a hoarse voice and at times appearing to lose his train of thought while answering questions. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2024 Most in the away end were hoarse by that stage, but a special roar was reserved for Worrall. Nick Miller, The Athletic, 22 Aug. 2024 During the debate, Biden's voice was hoarse and raspy, and the president stumbled over words and had to correct himself with numbers. Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 22 July 2024 With a hoarse voice at the end of the last day before the 2024 presidential election, Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee Tim Walz late Monday night delivered a final message focused on reproductive rights to Michigan voters at a rally in downtown Detroit as the campaign drew to a close. Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hoarse 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hos, hors, probably from Old Norse *hārs, hāss; akin to Old English hās hoarse, Old High German heis

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hoarse was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near hoarse

Cite this Entry

“Hoarse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoarse. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

hoarse

adjective
ˈhō(ə)rs How to pronounce hoarse (audio)
ˈhȯ(ə)rs
hoarser; hoarsest
1
: harsh in sound
2
: having a rough voice
a cold made me hoarse
hoarsely adverb
hoarseness noun

Medical Definition

hoarse

adjective
hoarser; hoarsest
1
: rough or harsh in sound
a hoarse voice
2
: having a hoarse voice
was hoarse from shouting
hoarsely adverb
hoarseness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on hoarse

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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