raspy

R1A1S1P3Y4
UK/ˈɹɑː.spɪ/UK/ˈɹæs.pi/

adjective

Rough, raw.

“His incessant coughing made his voice sound raspy.”

Similar
gratingharshhoarseroughirritablegravellyraspingscratchy
OriginEnglish rasp ← Middle English raspen ← Old French rasper →
UncommonScrabble 10
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Meanings

adjectiveraspy (comparative raspier, superlative raspiest)

comparative raspier · superlative raspiest

  1. especially vocal qualityRough, raw.

    His incessant coughing made his voice sound raspy.

    1 more example

    “This,” [Ambassador Robert Lighthizer] stressed in his raspy voice, “is the key economic policy battle of patriotic Americans in the upcoming generation.”

    2024 November 15, Ann Scott Tyson, Laurent Belsie, “Trump prepares for ‘economic warfare’ with China”, in The Christian Science Monitor

    Synonyms: grating, harsh, hoarse, rough

  2. Irritable.

    I don't wish to get raspy, so let's change the subject.

    1869, Louisa May Alcott, Little Women Wedded

    Synonyms: irritable

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveRough, raw.

Similar
gratingharshhoarserough

adjectiveIrritable.

Similar
irritable

More synonyms by meaning

adjectiveunpleasantly harsh or grating in sound

Similar
gratinggravellyraspingroughscratchycacophonouscacophonic
Also see
crackedgratinggravellyirritableraspingroughscratchy

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*(s)ker-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*(s)kreb /*(s)krebʰ-
  3. Proto-Germanic*hrepsaną /*hrepspaną
  4. Proto-Germanic*hrespaną
  5. Proto-Germanic*hraspōną
  6. Frankish*hraspōn
  7. Vulgar Latin*raspāre
  8. Old Frenchrasper
  9. Middle Englishraspen
  10. Englishrasp
  11. Englishraspy

From rasp + -y.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian дрезгав
  • дрезгав (drezgav)rough, raw
Czech chraplavý
  • chraplavýrough, raw
Dutch rauw
  • rauwrough, raw
Finnish käheä
  • käheärough, raw
French râpe, râpeux
  • râperough, raw
  • râpeuxrough, raw
German rau
  • raurough, raw
Māori māngūngungu
  • māngūngungurough, raw
Polish zgrzytliwy
  • zgrzytliwyrough, raw
Romanian aspru, răgușit
  • asprurough, raw
  • răgușitrough, raw
Russian дребезжа́щий, скреже́щущий
  • дребезжа́щий (drebezžáščij)rough, raw
  • скреже́щущий (skrežéščuščij)rough, raw
Spanish ronco
  • roncorough, raw
Swedish raspig, skrovlig
  • raspigrough, raw
  • skrovligrough, raw

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with raspy

Legazpiaspiegaspygrass pea
All rhymes →

Anagrams

spraySarpyspary
Cite this entry
APA

raspy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/raspy

MLA

“raspy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/raspy. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “raspy,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/raspy.

Source: raspy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.