gravelly

adjective

grav·​el·​ly ˈgra-v(ə-)lē How to pronounce gravelly (audio)
1
: of, containing, or covered with gravel
2
: having a rough or grating sound
a gravelly voice

Examples of gravelly in a Sentence

his singing voice is a little gravelly, but otherwise he's a fine musician
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.
My new favourite spot nearby was a long, sunken garden, complete with stone fountains, a gravelly terrace, and grand staircases sprawling down from street level. Hazlitt, 12 Mar. 2025 Goldberg said one recent afternoon, in her gravelly voice. André Wheeler, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025 That phrase said in the gravelly register of an old hockey head, stayed with me and my seatmate, the great Rick Carpiniello, my predecessor here on the Rangers beat. Arthur Staple, The Athletic, 22 Feb. 2025 Those same influences reverberate throughout her eclectic albums — unmistakably threaded through with her gravelly, gorgeous voice. Cat Woods, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gravelly

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gravelly was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gravelly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gravelly. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

gravelly

adjective
grav·​el·​ly ˈgrav-(ə-)lē How to pronounce gravelly (audio)
1
: of, containing, or covered with gravel
gravelly soil
2
: having a harsh scratchy sound
a gravelly voice

More from Merriam-Webster on gravelly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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