opaque voice

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "opaque voice" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a style of communication that is unclear or difficult to understand, often in literary or artistic contexts. Example: "The author's use of an opaque voice left readers puzzled about the true meaning of the narrative."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Wolfe gave her a strange look, then threw the pinecone far away and spoke in a cold, opaque voice.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

On "Manners" Passion Pit was gleaming yet opaque; Mr. Angelakos's voice was buried amid the synthesizers, the arrangements thumped along with little change from start to finish, and the net effect was — to be blunt — monotonous.

The New York Times - Arts

All the while a female voice offers opaque ruminations (with English translations projected onto the backdrop): "Why don't they come back?" "If she had died, I wish she had told me".

The New York Times - Arts

This language, which Mr. Cekwana delivers in a seductively mellifluous voice, is poetic but opaque, overgrown with abstractions and adjectives.

The New York Times - Arts

In "Le Cargo," Linyekula, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, plays the casual charm of his speaking voice against the more opaque suppleness of his dancing to tell a story about struggling to connect with his ancestors.

The New Yorker

Cohen was happy to talk in broad terms about Google's voice efforts, but he was opaque when it came to sharing stats, upcoming features, and predictions.

TechCrunch

She mimicked a pitchman: "You, too, can have a Taryn Toomey gravelly, rusty, sexy voice!" At the Class's new Manhattan space, opaque shades cover the windows, casting a mauve glow.

The New Yorker

This is the authorial voice - knowing, sardonic, and educated, but also detached, impersonal, opaque.

The Guardian - Books

Mr Quigley cast himself as an independent voice, pushing for fiscal prudence and transparency in a notoriously opaque county.

The Economist

"Don't confuse facts," new historians might argue, "with the truth, and don't object to a variety of authorial voices: the world is complex, is deceiving, and is opaque to the literal-minded".

The New York Times - Books

Voice conversion functions based on Gaussian mixture models and parametric speech signal representations are opaque in the sense that it is not straightforward to interpret the physical meaning of the conversion parameters.

Computer Speech & Language

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "opaque voice" when you want to emphasize that a speaker's message is intentionally or unintentionally difficult to understand, often due to complex language or hidden meanings.

Common error

Avoid using "opaque voice" to merely describe a quiet or soft voice. "Opaque" refers to a lack of clarity or understanding, not volume. Use other phrases like "soft voice" or "subdued tone" for the latter.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "opaque voice" functions as a descriptive element, typically modifying a noun or pronoun to indicate that the manner of speaking is difficult to understand or interpret. Ludwig examples show it describing ruminations and language.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "opaque voice" describes speech that is difficult to understand, often due to complexity or intentional obscurity. While grammatically correct, its frequency is rare. Ludwig's analysis shows the phrase appears in news and science contexts. When using "opaque voice", ensure it accurately reflects a lack of clarity, not simply a quiet tone. Alternatives include "unclear tone" or "ambiguous tone".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unclear voice

This alternative directly replaces "opaque" with a more straightforward synonym, indicating a lack of clarity.

unclear tone

This alternative replaces "voice" with "tone", emphasizing the manner of speaking rather than the voice itself.

ambiguous tone

This alternative focuses on the uncertainty or open-endedness of the voice's message.

veiled voice

This alternative suggests a voice that is deliberately concealed or மறைக்கப்பட்ட.

guarded tone

This alternative replaces "voice" with "tone", stressing caution or reticence in expression.

inscrutable voice

This alternative conveys that the voice is impossible to interpret or understand.

muddy voice

This alternative suggests a voice lacking clarity, potentially due to poor articulation or emotion.

blurred voice

This alternative implies that the voice lacks distinctness and is hard to discern.

muffled tone

This alternative suggests the voice lacks clarity because it is subdued or hard to hear.

enigmatic tone

This alternative indicates the voice communicates mysterious or puzzling messages.

FAQs

How can I use "opaque voice" in a sentence?

You can use "opaque voice" to describe speech that is difficult to understand due to its complexity or obscurity. For example, "The politician's statements were delivered in an "opaque voice", leaving the audience confused."

What can I say instead of "opaque voice"?

You can use alternatives like "unclear tone", "ambiguous tone", or "veiled voice" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "opaque voice" formal or informal?

"Opaque voice" is generally considered a neutral to formal term, suitable for analytical writing, literary analysis, or professional contexts where precise language is valued.

What is the difference between "opaque voice" and "dark voice"?

"Opaque voice" refers to speech that is difficult to understand, while "dark voice" typically describes the tone or timbre of the voice itself, often implying a somber or menacing quality. They describe different aspects of a voice.