Definition

1. Verb (transitive):

   • To make hoarse: "hoarsen" means to cause (someone's voice) to become rough, harsh, or husky, typically as a result of illness, overuse, or irritation.
   • Example: Shouting for hours at the concert hoarsened his voice.

2. Verb (intransitive):

   • To become hoarse: "hoarsen" can also mean to become rough or harsh in voice quality.
   • Example: Her throat hoarsened after she caught a cold.

Usage Examples

• Transitive use:

  • The cold air and constant talking hoarsened the tour guide's voice. (The environment made the voice rough.)
  • He hoarsened his vocal cords by cheering loudly during the match. (He caused his own voice to become hoarse.)

• Intransitive use:

  • As the illness progressed, his voice began to hoarsen. (His voice gradually became rough.)
  • If you sing for too long without rest, your throat will hoarsen. (The throat will become hoarse naturally.)

Advanced Usage

• "to hoarsen one's voice": a common collocation meaning to deliberately or accidentally make one's voice rough.

  • He hoarsened his voice to imitate the old man's raspy tone. (He intentionally made his voice sound harsh.)

• "hoarsen with age": a phrase used to describe a voice that naturally becomes rough over time.

  • The actor's voice had hoarsened with age, giving his performances a gravelly quality. (The voice became rough due to the natural aging process.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hoarse (adj): having a rough, harsh, or husky voice.

  • After the long speech, the politician sounded hoarse. (The voice was rough.)

• Hoarseness (n): the state or quality of being hoarse; a rough or harsh voice.

  • The singer's hoarseness forced her to cancel the performance. (The rough voice condition.)

• Hoarsely (adv): in a rough or harsh voice.

  • He spoke hoarsely after screaming for help. (He spoke with a rough voice.)

Synonyms

• Roughen: to make or become rough in texture or quality (used for voice, skin, etc.).

  • The cold wind roughened his skin and throat. (Similar to hoarsening the voice.)

• Huskify (rare): to make or become husky (in voice).

  • Smoking can huskify the vocal cords. (Makes the voice sound husky.)

• Rasp: to speak in a rough, grating voice (verb).

  • He rasped out his instructions. (He spoke hoarsely.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Hoarsen up (informal): to make one's voice hoarse intentionally or as a result of effort.
  • He hoarsened up his voice to sound more intimidating. (He made his voice rough on purpose.)

Related Idioms

• Hoarsen the pipes (rare): a figurative expression meaning to make the voice rough, often used humorously.
  • After the game, he had hoarsened his pipes from shouting. (He had made his voice rough from yelling.)