twang

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈtwæŋ/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/twæŋ/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(twang)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
twang /twæŋ/USA pronunciation   v. 
  1. Music and Danceto (cause to) give out a sharp, vibrating sound, as the string of a musical instrument when it is plucked: [no object]The guitar string twanged.[~ + object]He twanged the guitar string.

n. [countable]
  1. a sharp, ringing sound.
  2. a sharp, nasal tone:He had a Boston twang in his accent.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
twang (twang),USA pronunciation  v.i. 
  1. to give out a sharp, vibrating sound, as the string of a musical instrument when plucked.
  2. to produce such a sound by plucking a stringed musical instrument.
  3. to have or produce a sharp, nasal tone, as the human voice.

v.t. 
  1. to cause to make a sharp, vibrating sound, as a string of a musical instrument.
  2. to produce (music) by plucking the strings of a musical instrument.
  3. to pluck the strings of (a musical instrument):to twang a guitar.
  4. to speak with a sharp, nasal tone.
  5. to pull the string of (an archer's bow).
  6. to let fly (an arrow).

n. 
  1. the sharp, ringing sound produced by plucking or suddenly releasing a tense string.
  2. a sound resembling this.
  3. an act of plucking or picking:He gave his guitar strings a twang.
  4. a sharp, nasal tone, as of the human voice.
  • imitative 1535–45

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
twang /twæŋ/ n
  1. a sharp ringing sound produced by or as if by the plucking of a taut string
  2. the act of plucking a string to produce such a sound
  3. a strongly nasal quality in a person's speech, esp in certain dialects
 vb
  1. to make or cause to make a twang
  2. to strum (music, a tune, etc)
  3. to speak or utter with a sharp nasal voice
  4. (intransitive) to be released or move with a twang: the arrow twanged away
Etymology: 16th Century: of imitative originˈtwangy adj
'twang' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
pizzicato - funny - plunk - tang - twangle - twangy - snuffle

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