145+ Onomatopoeia Examples to Navigate Your Language Arts Unit

You might not realize it, but you incorporate literary devices and figures of speech into your daily conversations. Perhaps you studied these in middle or high school, but don’t worry if you don’t recall all the details—after all, as busy moms, we have more pressing things to remember, right? For instance, if you invite a friend to meet you in “Bailey’s boiling-hot basement,” you’ve employed alliteration. And when you tell your partner it took “forever” to get to work today, you’re using hyperbole, a common figure of speech. Another widely-used device is onomatopoeia, which refers to words that phonetically imitate the sounds they represent, like “crack” and “boom.” Still confused about what it is or how to pronounce it? We’ve got you covered.

Surprisingly, onomatopoeia is quite simple to grasp—much easier than tackling anagrams or crafting palindromes. Here’s a quick guide on onomatopoeias.

How Do You Pronounce Onomatopoeia?

We understand that “onomatopoeia” can seem intimidating, particularly with its length and numerous vowels. Sometimes, we even pronounce that “t” as an “n” without realizing it. If you didn’t learn how to say it as a child, don’t worry. Start by saying it slowly: “ah-nuh-mah-tuh-pee-uh.” Still unsure? YouTube offers excellent resources for learning pronunciations, including this helpful video.

What is Onomatopoeia?

As mentioned earlier, onomatopoeia is a literary device or figure of speech. It refers to words that evoke the sound of something. Wikipedia aptly defines it as “the process of creating a word that phonetically imitates, resembles, or suggests the sound that it describes.”

What Are the Four Types of Onomatopoeia?

While the concept of onomatopoeia is straightforward, there are actually four distinct types:

Real Words That Mimic Real Sounds
This common type includes actual dictionary words that replicate sounds, like a cow’s “moo” or a cat’s “meow.” You might also think of the “tick-tock” of a clock or the “buzz” of an alarm.
Made-up Words That Make Real Sounds
You might encounter this form of onomatopoeia, too. For example, the sound a Stormtrooper’s blaster makes, often described as “pew pew pew,” fits this category. Another example found in various songs and films is the “ratatata” sound representing automatic gunfire.
Real Words Used As Sounds
This one is trickier. A great literary example is Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Bells,” where he repeatedly uses the word “bell” to evoke the sound of a ringing bell, despite the word itself not sounding like one.
Letters That Mimic A Familiar Sound
A contemporary example is “Okayrrr,” which imitates the sound of someone rolling their tongue while saying “Okay.” You might also think of Mister Rogers’ “Zzzz!” sound as he removes his sweater, or “Pspsps” when calling a cat.

More Onomatopoeia Examples

Looking for a list of onomatopoeias? Here are some common examples:

Sound Words

Bam, Bang, Beep, Belch, Bonk, Boom, Boop, Burp, Buzz, Ca-ching, Clack, Clang, Clank, Clap, Clash, Clatter, Click, Clink, Clip-clop, Cough, Crack, Crackle, Crash, Creak, Crinkle, Crunch, Ding, Dong, Drip-drop, Fizzle, Flap, Flop, Flush, Gargle, Glop, Glug, Groan, Grumble, Gulp, Hack, Hiccup, Honk, Hum, Jingle, Knock, Moan, Murmur, Patter, Plop, Pop, Pow, Puff, Rasp, Rattle, Rev, Ring, Rip, Rumble, Rustle, Scream, Shout, Sizzle, Slap, Slurp, Smack, Smash, Snap, Snicker, Sniff, Snort, Splatter, Splash, Spit, Spray, Squish, Swish, Tap, Tick, Thud, Thump, Tock, Toot, Trickle, Vroom, Wail, Whiz, Yap, Yip, Zap, Zip, Zoom.

Animal Noises

Baa, Bark, Bleat, Bow-wow, Buzz, Chirp, Cluck, Cock-a-doodle-doo, Coo, Croak, Hiss, Hoot, Howl, Growl, Grunt, Moo, Meow, Oink, Peep, Purr, Quack, Rattle, Ribbit, Roar, Screech, Shriek, Squawk, Squeak, Squeal, Tweet, Woof, Yap.

Examples of Onomatopoeia in a Sentence

The ice clacked as it hit the bottom of the glass cup.
I love the gentle rip of a hot bagel being pulled apart.
The utensils pinged and clanged as I closed the kitchen drawer.
The champagne cork popped as I removed it from the bottle.
The egg made a sharp crack against the edge of the bowl.
The butter sizzled as it melted in the hot pan.
As she worked on her essay due at midnight, her fingers clacked on the keys.
As the cows ate their food, they quietly mooed.
My grandpa let out a small belch after patting his stomach.
The room was so cold my teeth chattered.
When the car cut me off, I beeped my horn.
After my father ate his burrito, his stomach gurgled.
The mouse squeaked as the eagle chased it.
My father grunted as he pulled the couch up the stairs.
While camping in the woods, we heard wolves howling.
Ever since the twins learned to talk, they’ve been yapping.
The rain trickled down my window.
When she poured the paint out of the can, it glopped into the tray.
My grandfather groaned as he got up from bed.
The baby hiccuped after she had her bottle.
I slurped the smoothie because it was my favorite.
I sniffed as I entered the garden due to my allergies.
I whispered in the dark to my sister that I needed to go to the bathroom.
The floorboards creaked as I walked to my parent’s room.

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Summary

Onomatopoeia is a fun and accessible literary device that mimics sounds through words. It can be found in everyday speech and literature alike. Understanding and using onomatopoeia can enhance your language arts skills and make your writing more vivid and engaging.