Gravelly describes a rough, harsh sound, like the sound of walking on gravel or small stones crunching under your feet. When someone has a gravelly voice, their voice sounds deep, scratchy, and coarse rather than smooth and clear.

You might notice this quality in someone's voice when they have a bad cold or have been shouting at a football game all afternoon. Some singers deliberately use a gravelly tone to add emotion or grit to their songs. Older characters in movies sometimes have gravelly voices that make them sound weathered and experienced.

Just as gravel feels bumpy and uneven compared to smooth pavement, a gravelly voice sounds rough and textured compared to a clear, melodious one. While gravelly usually describes voices and sounds, you might occasionally see it used for anything with a rough, gritty texture, like gravelly sand on a beach.