Words that sound like what they mean

1. 1
   sizzle/ˈsɪzəl/

   verb

   Hiss like food frying in hot fat.
2. 2
   crackle/ˈkrækəl/

   noun

   A string of sharp little snapping sounds.
3. 3
   rustle/ˈrʌsəl/

   noun

   A soft, dry sound, like leaves moving.
4. 4
   whisper/ˈwɪspər/iAlso said ˈhwɪspər.

   verb

   Speak very softly.
5. 5
   thud/θʌd/

   noun

   A dull, heavy sound, like something falling.
6. 6
   buzz/bʌz/

   verb

   Make the steady sound a bee makes.
7. 7
   gurgle/ˈɡɜːrɡəl/

   verb

   Flow with a bubbling sound.
8. 8
   squeak/skwiːk/

   noun

   A short, high little sound.
9. 9
   boom/buːm/

   noun

   A deep, loud sound that rolls on.
10. 10
    echo/ˈekoʊ/

    noun

    A sound that bounces back to you.

The sentences

1. I love hearing the sausages sizzle over the fire.

2. I could listen to the crackle of the fire all night.

3. Did you hear that rustle in the bushes behind us?

4. Let's whisper, the others are already asleep.

5. Something just landed with a heavy thud over there.

6. I can hear the mosquitoes buzz around my ears.

7. You can hear the stream gurgle past the rocks.

8. That little squeak came from a mouse, I think.

9. Did you hear the boom of thunder in the distance?

10. Call out into the dark and wait for the echo.

Pronunciation

• rustle/ˈrʌsəl/

  The t is silent, so it sounds like 'russel'.

• whisper/ˈwɪspər/

  The h is silent, so it starts like 'wisp'.

• thud/θʌd/

  Start with the th of 'thin', not a d or a t.

• echo/ˈekoʊ/

  The ch sounds like k, as in 'deck'.

Good to know

campfire permits

Many parks and campgrounds in the US require a permit for open fires, and some ban them entirely during dry seasons. Check local fire restrictions before you build one.

quiet hours

Most campgrounds ask campers to keep noise down after 10pm, so late-night conversation around the fire is usually kept low.

leave no trace

Campers are expected to fully douse a fire and pack out all trash before leaving a site. This is treated as a basic courtesy, not just a rule.

Questions

What's the word for the sound of food frying?

That's sizzle, the hiss food makes frying in hot fat, as in "I love hearing the sausages sizzle over the fire."

What do you call the sound of a fire burning?

That's crackle, a string of sharp little snapping sounds, as in "I could listen to the crackle of the fire all night."

What's the sound a mosquito makes called?

That's buzz, the steady sound a bee or mosquito makes, as in "I can hear the mosquitoes buzz around my ears."