The sound of water hitting the cliffs

[alpacinou]

Hello,

How would you describe the sound that is created when a tumultuous hits the cliffs on the beach?

For example: I went for a walk along the beach. The sea was tumultuous and I could hear... (the sound of water hitting the cliffs)

 

[SoothingDave]

Waterfalls are often described as "roaring."

 

[emsr2d2]

The sea/waves could be crashing against the cliffs. If it's not quite that loud, they could be slapping against them.

 

[alpacinou]

Can I say "I could hear the sound of water splashing after crashing against the cliffs"?

 

[GoesStation]

Can I say "I could hear the sound of water splashing after crashing against the cliffs"?

Yes.

 

[emsr2d2]

A bit like my "slapping", "splashing" suggests a much quieter sound than "crashing". They wouldn't really fit with "The sea was tumultuous".

 

[tedmc]

Pounding?

 

[Skrej]

The level of noise depends on (a) how far away you are from the source and (b) how much force is involved.

The louder the noise, the stronger the verb you'll want. There will be a lot of options if you consult a thesaurus, ranging from 'lapping and rippling to slapping and splashing on up to crashing, pounding, bashing, and even beating.

 

[alpacinou]

So, here's my final sentence:

I went for a stroll along the beach. The sea was raging and I could hear the sound of tumultuous waves crashing against the stoic cliffs.

Please let me know if it's okay.

 

[emsr2d2]

I like it all except "stoic cliffs". Inanimate objects can't really be stoic. It's used for people enduring some kind of hardship without complaining or showing their emotions. Cliffs can't do those things anyway.

 

[alpacinou]

I like it all except "stoic cliffs". Inanimate objects can't really be stoic. It's used for people enduring some kind of hardship without complaining or showing their emotions. Cliffs can't do those things anyway.

What about now?

I went for a stroll along the beach. The sea was raging and I could hear the sound of tumultuous waves crashing against the forbidding cliffs.

 

[emsr2d2]

That's definitely better (provided the cliffs actually do look forbidding). Now the only thing that doesn't really fit, for me, is the word "stroll". That usually suggests a nice, quiet, slow, relaxing walk. Nothing about the rest of the description suggests that it was particularly relaxing.

 

[alpacinou]

That's definitely better (provided the cliffs actually do look forbidding). Now the only thing that doesn't really fit, for me, is the word "stroll". That usually suggests a nice, quiet, slow, relaxing walk. Nothing about the rest of the description suggests that it was particularly relaxing.

I went for a walk along the beach. The sea was raging and I could hear the sound of tumultuous waves crashing against the forbidding cliffs.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I went for a walk along the beach. The sea was raging and I could hear the sound of tumultuous waves crashing against the forbidding cliffs.

And you don't need to say the sound of. If you heard it, it was a sound.

 

[Phaedrus]

How would you describe the sound that is created when a tumultuous hits the cliffs on the beach?

I don't think "booming" has been mentioned yet. That's what I'd use: I heard could hear the waves booming against the cliffs.

 

[Skrej]

I like it all except "stoic cliffs". Inanimate objects can't really be stoic. It's used for people enduring some kind of hardship without complaining or showing their emotions. Cliffs can't do those things anyway.

I agree we wouldn't normally use it, but since this whole exercise seems to be more about poetic imagery, it seems to work as personification. I could see describing a lighthouse for example as "standing stoically against the onslaught of the sea".

Although it would work better if there was just a single cliff. The notion of stoicism seems a bit diminished if there's a solid wall of cliffs.