1 : the sounds that you make with your mouth and throat when you are speaking, singing, etc. [count] ▪ He has a deep voice. ▪ a loud/booming voice ▪ a high/shrill voice ▪ her small/timid voice ▪ “Can we speak privately?” she said in a low/soft/quiet voice. ▪ My teenage son's voice is beginning to change/break. [=it is beginning to sound deeper like a man's voice] ▪ Her voice was breaking [=it was changing in sound because of emotion] as she said goodbye. ▪ a voice on the radio ▪ We heard voices coming from the next room. ▪ She does the voices for several cartoon characters. ▪ Please keep your voice down. [=please speak quietly] ▪ Please lower your voice. [=please speak more quietly] ▪ Father was stern, but he never raised his voice. [=spoke loudly or harshly] ▪ She was yelling at the top of her voice. [=as loudly as she could] [noncount] ▪ I don't like your tone of voice. [=the way you are speaking to me] 2 a [noncount] : the ability to speak
▪ I shouted so much that I lost my voice.
b [count] : the ability to sing
▪ She has a terrific voice. ▪ He was in good voice [=able to sing well] for his recital. 3 a [singular] : a right or way to express your wishes, opinions, etc.
▪ The students complained that they had no voice [=say] in school affairs. ▪ Town meetings give people a voice in local politics.
b [count] : a wish, opinion, etc., that you express openly or publicly
▪ Listen to the voice of the people. ▪ Please vote and make your voices heard!
c [count] : a thought or feeling that comes to you especially when you do not expect it
▪ A little voice in my head told me not to trust him. ▪ You must learn to trust your inner voice.
d [count] : a person who expresses a wish, opinion, etc.
▪ A few voices in the crowd expressed displeasure. ▪ She was the voice of reason in our group. [=she stopped us from doing foolish things] 4 [count] grammar : a verb form that shows whether the subject of a sentence does or receives the action of the verb ◊In the active voice, the subject of the sentence does the action.
▪ “I found a quarter” is in the active voice. In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action. ▪ “He was found by the police” is in the passive voice.