Catchphrase Timeout

204 Views

6 Users liked

Content generated with AI assistance

Related keywords

✦ AI

About this sound

✦ AI

The short timeout buzzer from the game show Catchphrase, marking the end of a round when time runs out. Creators use it for failed guesses and sudden stops.

This is a brief, sharp timeout cue lasting just over a second, the kind of clipped electronic buzz that instantly tells a viewer time is up. It opens abruptly, holds a flat, slightly harsh tone, and cuts off without fading, so there is no ambiguity about the moment it marks. In a video, that abruptness creates a small jolt of finality, turning a near miss into a clear ending and giving the audience a beat to laugh, groan, or move on. It works best when it lands exactly on the failed answer, because the sound itself does the job of saying the chance has gone.

Catchphrase is a television game show built around guessing familiar phrases from animated clues, and a timeout cue is the natural punctuation for a round that ends without a correct answer. Short clips from game shows travel well online because they are instantly recognisable even out of context, and this one has found a second life as a reaction sound for videos, streams and edits. Its appeal is practical rather than nostalgic: one second is enough to close a joke, end a challenge or move a scene on.

Use Cases

✦ AI

Frequently Asked Questions

✦ AI

What is the Catchphrase timeout sound?

It is a short, sharp buzzer-style cue used to mark the end of a round on Catchphrase when time runs out without a correct answer. In edits, it works as a clear audio full stop for a failed guess or a missed opportunity.

Where does the Catchphrase timeout sound come from?

It comes from Catchphrase, a television game show in which contestants guess phrases from visual clues. The timeout cue signals that a round has ended before anyone gave the right answer, making it easy to recognise out of context.

How should creators use the Catchphrase timeout sound in a video?

Place it at the exact moment time expires or a guess fails, then move on quickly so the joke lands. It works well after a quiz, challenge or timed task, and sounds best on its own rather than layered over talking or music.