Onomatopoeic Words: Gasses and Liquids

Although we may not always be able to see them, gases account for a lot of fantastic sounds, as do liquids, and - you guessed it - there are words for them!

bubble
(of liquids) make a sound when heated, forming balls of gas and air
verb: The liquids started to bubble as they reached boiling point.
noun: As the liquid became hotter, bubbles started to form.
See also: Food

plop
(of a heavy object) make a sound when dropping into liquid without a splash
verb: I plopped some rocks into the pool for the children to fetch from the bottom.
noun: I threw the rock into the pond and it disappeared under the water with a plop.
See also: Food

splash
(of water) make a sound when something heavy comes into contact with it
verb: I was all wet because he’d splashed me jumping into the pool.
noun: He landed in the pool with a great splash.

splat (abbreviation of splatter)
(of a soft, wet object) make a sound when hitting a surface with force
noun: The water balloon landed with a splat on the windscreen.

splatter
(of a thick liquid) make a sound when hitting a surface with force
verb: The passing car splattered him from foot to head with mud.

squelch
(of liquid or mud) make a soft sucking sound when pressure is applied to it
verb: We squelched through the mud, wishing we’d worn our boots.
noun: The squelch of their feet on the water-logged lawn woke the sleeping dog.

squirt
(of liquids) make a noise when being squeezed abruptly out of something
verb: As soon as I pressed the tube, the toothpaste squirted out.
noun: I topped the salad with a squirt of mayonnaise and sat down to eat.

trickle
(of liquid) make a noise when falling in a slow, steady stream
verb: After spilling my wine on the table, I watched it trickle to the floor.
noun: There was a small trickle of water coming from the hole in the ceiling.
See also: Nature