1
a
: a particular auditory impression : tone
b
: the sensation perceived by the sense of hearing
c
: mechanical radiant energy that is transmitted by longitudinal pressure waves in a material medium (such as air) and is the objective cause of hearing
2
a
: a speech sound
a peculiar r-sound
b
: value in terms of speech sounds
-cher of teacher and -ture of creature have the same sound
4
: hearing distance : earshot
within sound of your voice
5
: recorded auditory material
6
: a particular musical style characteristic of an individual, a group, or an area
the Nashville sound
sounded; sounding; sounds
1
a
: to cause to sound
sound a trumpet
2
: to put into words : voice
3
a
: to make known : proclaim
b
: to order, signal, or indicate by a sound
sound the alarm
4
: to examine by causing to emit sounds
sound the lungs
5
chiefly British
: to convey the impression of : sound like
that sounds a logical use of resources—
Economist
Economist1
2
: to make or convey an impression especially when heard
it sounds good to me
you sound just like your mother
1
a
: free from injury or disease
of sound mind
b
: free from flaw, defect, or decay
sound timber
2
3
a
: free from error, fallacy, or misapprehension
sound advice
sound reasoning
b
: exhibiting or based on thorough knowledge and experience
sound scholarship
c
: legally valid
a sound title
d
: logically valid and having true premises
a sound estimate
e
: agreeing with accepted views : orthodox
sound doctrine
4
5
: showing good judgment or sense
a sound advisor
: to the full extent : thoroughly
sound asleep
1
a
: a long broad inlet of the ocean generally parallel to the coast
b
: a long passage of water connecting two larger bodies (such as a sea with the ocean) or separating a mainland and an island
2
: the air bladder of a fish
sounded; sounding; sounds
1
: to measure the depth of : fathom
2
: to try to find out the views or intentions of : probe
—often used with out
3
: to explore or examine (a body cavity) with a sound
1
a
: to ascertain the depth of water especially with a sounding line
b
: to look into or investigate the possibility
sent commissioners … to sound for peace—Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson2
: to dive down suddenly
—used of a fish or whale
: an elongated instrument for exploring or sounding body cavities
Did you know?
English contains several sound homographs, all with distinct histories. For example, the sound that means "something heard" descends from Latin sonus ("sound"), whereas the sound that means "to measure the depth of water" traces to Middle French sonde ("sounding line"). Another sound, as in "of sound mind and body," is the contemporary form of Old English's gesund. Gesund is related to several words in other languages, such as Old Saxon gisund ("sound"), Old Frisian sund ("fresh, unharmed, healthy"), and Gothic swinths ("sound" or "healthy"). Another relative is Old High German's gisunt ("healthy"), which led to modern German's gesund, the root of gesundheit.
Synonyms
Noun (1)
Verb (1)
Adjective
- analytic
- analytical
- coherent
- consequent
- good
- logical
- rational
- reasonable
- sensible
- valid
- well-founded
- well-grounded
Noun (2)
Verb (2)
Examples of sound in a Sentence
Adjective
a building of sound construction
The bridge is structurally sound.
a sound mind in a sound body
The tests show that his heart is sound.
She used sound reasoning in making the decision.
She gave us some sound advice.
She has a sound understanding of the system's structure.
The stock market has made a sound recovery.
Recent Examples on the WebFrank Rizzo, Variety, 15 Apr. 2024
While unnerving, the buzzing sound of a rattlesnake is designed to warn you.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024
Then the tranquillity of the early morning was shattered by the sound of explosions.
—Stephanie Busari, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
As a member of Organized Noize, Wade was instrumental in helping shape the sound of Southern hip-hop in the 1990s.
—EW.com, 13 Apr. 2024
Externally, Fessenden delivers some old-fashioned verve to Charley’s handful of transformations: punchy editing, harsh sound, freaky practical effects and Hurt’s physical, raging-drunk abandon under garish mask work.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024
Earbuds or headphones that block out sound are another essential folks should pack to protect their ears, according to the University of Texas Health Austin.
—Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
In addition to mating calls, cicadas may also produce alarm calls or defensive sounds.
—The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024
At the Cantina Stage, catch the captivating sounds of SOTO BAND on Friday, April 19, followed by Vilma Diaz Y La Sonora on Saturday, April 20, and Red NOT Chili Peppers closing out on Sunday, April 21.
—Branded Content Contributor, Orange County Register, 11 Apr. 2024
The Editors, National Review, 15 Apr. 2024
Was there a discussion about how the band wanted this album to sound?
—Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 15 Apr. 2024
Meaning to sound sympathetic, not at all accusatory.
—Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
They’re broadly understood to work by inhibiting hunger and slowing the passage of food from the stomach—effects that sound benign, as if the drugs were little more than pharmacological versions of a fiber-rich diet.
—Gary Taubes, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2024
Booms and air raid sirens sounded across Israel early Sunday after Iran launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles in an unprecedented revenge mission that pushed the Middle East closer to a regionwide war.
—Joseph Federman, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2024
What Mack loved most about Simone was how her voice sounded.
—Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024
But soon entrepreneurs trying to win legal licenses were sounding alarms, too; even Ms. Brewer’s own cousin, who had signed up to be a licensed grower upstate, gave her an earful.
—Nicholas Fandos, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
The music may now sound folkier than that earlier techno.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2024
K. Thor Jensen, PCMAG, 1 Apr. 2024
The Eclipse Soundscapes project will be collecting observations and recorded sound data to help understand the impact of the 2024 solar eclipses on various U.S. ecosystems.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 31 Mar. 2024
In fact, what many investors consider to be the ultimate balanced portfolio — a blend of 60% stocks or stock funds with 40% bonds or bond funds — continues to represent a sound strategy.
—The Arizona Republic, 31 Mar. 2024
And sound designer George Psarras, who greatly understands the quirky City Lights space, dots the landscape with authenticity.
—David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2024
Eventually, investigators pinned the blame on the elaborate design of support components that appeared sound when they were installed in the 1970s.
—David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2024
Finding Fossil Ant-Mimics Since the 1800s, it’s been broadly accepted that some spiders disguise themselves as ants, a sound strategy for survival.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 28 Mar. 2024
Amazon's Echo line of smart speakers have been steadily decreasing in size while maintaining sound quality and computing power, and the 5th generation Echo Dot hits a great balance between price and performance.
—K. Thor Jensen, PCMAG, 22 Mar. 2024
Like, for example, sound director Koji Kondo’s idea for a Wonder Flower that would have turned Mario into a live-action version of himself—a regular guy who would hum the background music and make the game’s sound effects himself.
—Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 22 Mar. 2024
Kaitlyn McInnis, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Mar. 2023
Some examples include watches with alarms, visual timers, sound-blocking headphones, and calculators.
—Lisa Jo Rudy, Verywell Health, 7 Mar. 2023
There could be sound-absorbing qualities, too, which gave the ceilings their other name: acoustical ceilings.
—John Kelly, Washington Post, 19 Feb. 2023
Porsche also outfitted lightweight glass and a slinkier battery, whittled out some of the sound-deadening material, and even deleted the rear seat.
—Tim Stevens, Ars Technica, 23 Nov. 2022
Every practice and bus ride are sound-tracked by a JBL Bluetooth speaker and a steady stream of hits from Adele and Pitbull.
—BostonGlobe.com, 6 Nov. 2021
Qualifying property owners, who must have their buildings sound-tested, will each receive about $40,000 in upgrades.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2021
Even more sound-deadening materials arrived for 2004, as did new stereo speakers to take advantage of the ostensibly quieter cabin.
—Andrew Wendler, Car and Driver, 29 Apr. 2021
The local fire department said earlier that the main material burning was sound-absorbing cotton.
—Bloomberg.com, 25 Sep. 2020
Noun
Gould’s music and Kreitzer’s lyrics offer an appealing rock-pop score that brings an often contemporary sound to the story, connecting eras.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 15 Apr. 2024
While unnerving, the buzzing sound of a rattlesnake is designed to warn you.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024
Then the tranquillity of the early morning was shattered by the sound of explosions.
—Stephanie Busari, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
As a member of Organized Noize, Wade was instrumental in helping shape the sound of Southern hip-hop in the 1990s.
—EW.com, 13 Apr. 2024
Externally, Fessenden delivers some old-fashioned verve to Charley’s handful of transformations: punchy editing, harsh sound, freaky practical effects and Hurt’s physical, raging-drunk abandon under garish mask work.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024
Earbuds or headphones that block out sound are another essential folks should pack to protect their ears, according to the University of Texas Health Austin.
—Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
In addition to mating calls, cicadas may also produce alarm calls or defensive sounds.
—The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024
At the Cantina Stage, catch the captivating sounds of SOTO BAND on Friday, April 19, followed by Vilma Diaz Y La Sonora on Saturday, April 20, and Red NOT Chili Peppers closing out on Sunday, April 21.
—Branded Content Contributor, Orange County Register, 11 Apr. 2024
Verb
As early as 2015, advocacy groups in the U.K. sounded the alarm about the clinic’s life-altering interventions on young patients.
—The Editors, National Review, 15 Apr. 2024
Was there a discussion about how the band wanted this album to sound?
—Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 15 Apr. 2024
Meaning to sound sympathetic, not at all accusatory.
—Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
They’re broadly understood to work by inhibiting hunger and slowing the passage of food from the stomach—effects that sound benign, as if the drugs were little more than pharmacological versions of a fiber-rich diet.
—Gary Taubes, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2024
Booms and air raid sirens sounded across Israel early Sunday after Iran launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles in an unprecedented revenge mission that pushed the Middle East closer to a regionwide war.
—Joseph Federman, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2024
What Mack loved most about Simone was how her voice sounded.
—Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024
But soon entrepreneurs trying to win legal licenses were sounding alarms, too; even Ms. Brewer’s own cousin, who had signed up to be a licensed grower upstate, gave her an earful.
—Nicholas Fandos, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
The music may now sound folkier than that earlier techno.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Weather resistant 5-way binding post speaker terminals keeps them operational even in tough conditions, and the sound quality is great for the price.
—K. Thor Jensen, PCMAG, 1 Apr. 2024
The Eclipse Soundscapes project will be collecting observations and recorded sound data to help understand the impact of the 2024 solar eclipses on various U.S. ecosystems.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 31 Mar. 2024
In fact, what many investors consider to be the ultimate balanced portfolio — a blend of 60% stocks or stock funds with 40% bonds or bond funds — continues to represent a sound strategy.
—The Arizona Republic, 31 Mar. 2024
And sound designer George Psarras, who greatly understands the quirky City Lights space, dots the landscape with authenticity.
—David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2024
Eventually, investigators pinned the blame on the elaborate design of support components that appeared sound when they were installed in the 1970s.
—David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2024
Finding Fossil Ant-Mimics Since the 1800s, it’s been broadly accepted that some spiders disguise themselves as ants, a sound strategy for survival.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 28 Mar. 2024
Amazon's Echo line of smart speakers have been steadily decreasing in size while maintaining sound quality and computing power, and the 5th generation Echo Dot hits a great balance between price and performance.
—K. Thor Jensen, PCMAG, 22 Mar. 2024
Like, for example, sound director Koji Kondo’s idea for a Wonder Flower that would have turned Mario into a live-action version of himself—a regular guy who would hum the background music and make the game’s sound effects himself.
—Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 22 Mar. 2024
Adverb
The garbage disposal features a generous 0.75 horsepower motor that is sound-insulated.
—Kaitlyn McInnis, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Mar. 2023
Some examples include watches with alarms, visual timers, sound-blocking headphones, and calculators.
—Lisa Jo Rudy, Verywell Health, 7 Mar. 2023
There could be sound-absorbing qualities, too, which gave the ceilings their other name: acoustical ceilings.
—John Kelly, Washington Post, 19 Feb. 2023
Porsche also outfitted lightweight glass and a slinkier battery, whittled out some of the sound-deadening material, and even deleted the rear seat.
—Tim Stevens, Ars Technica, 23 Nov. 2022
Every practice and bus ride are sound-tracked by a JBL Bluetooth speaker and a steady stream of hits from Adele and Pitbull.
—BostonGlobe.com, 6 Nov. 2021
Qualifying property owners, who must have their buildings sound-tested, will each receive about $40,000 in upgrades.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2021
Even more sound-deadening materials arrived for 2004, as did new stereo speakers to take advantage of the ostensibly quieter cabin.
—Andrew Wendler, Car and Driver, 29 Apr. 2021
The local fire department said earlier that the main material burning was sound-absorbing cotton.
—Bloomberg.com, 25 Sep. 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sound.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to sound
Dictionary Entries Near sound
Cite this Entry
“Sound.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sound. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sound
1 of 6 adjective1
a
: not diseased or weak : healthy
a sound mind in a sound body
b
: free from imperfection or rot
2
: solid entry 1 sense 4, firm
a building of sound construction
4
a
: thorough sense 1
a sound revenge
b
: not disturbed
a sound sleep
c
: severe sense 3
a sound beating
5
: showing good judgment or sense
sound advice
sound
2 of 6 adverb
: to the full extent : thoroughly
sound asleep
sound
3 of 6 noun1
2
a
: one of the noises that together make up human speech
the sound of "th" in "this"
b
: a series of spoken noises
3
a
: meaningless noise
b
: the suggestion carried or given by something heard or said
the excuse has a suspicious sound
4
: hearing distance : earshot
within sound of my voice
sound
4 of 6 verb1
a
: to make or cause to make a sound
b
: resound
the auditorium sounded with applause
c
: resound sense 2
cheers are sounding throughout the gymnasium
d
: to give a signal by sound
the bugle sounds to battle
2
: pronounce sense 3a
sound each word clearly
3
: to put into words : voice
4
a
: to make known : proclaim
b
: to order, signal, or indicate by a sound
sound the alarm
5
: to make or give an impression especially when heard
sounds incredible
sound
5 of 6 noun
: a long passage of water that is wider than a strait and often connects two larger bodies of water or forms a channel between the mainland and an island
Etymology
Adjective
Old English gesund "free from injury or disease"
Noun
Middle English soun "a sound, something that can be heard," from early French son (same meaning), from Latin sonus "a sound" — related to unison
Noun
Old English sund "a sea, swimming"
Verb
Middle English sounden "to measure the depth of," from early French sonder (same meaning), from sonde "a line used for measuring depths"; probably of Germanic origin
Medical Definition
sound
1 of 4 adjective1
: free from injury or disease : exhibiting normal health
2
: deep and undisturbed
a sound sleep
soundness
noun
sound
2 of 4 noun1
: a particular auditory impression
heart sounds heard by auscultation
2
: the sensation perceived by the sense of hearing
3
: mechanical radiant energy that is transmitted by longitudinal pressure waves in a material medium (as air) and is the objective cause of hearing
sound
3 of 4 transitive verb
: to explore or examine (a body cavity) with a sound
sound
4 of 4 noun
: an elongated instrument for exploring or examining body cavities
a uterine sound
Legal Definition
sound
1 of 2 adjective1
a
: free from injury or disease : exhibiting normal health
b
: free from flaw, defect, or decay
a sound design
2
a
: free from error, fallacy, or misapprehension
based on sound judicial reasoning
b
: legally valid
a sound title
3
: showing good judgment or sense
soundly
adverb
soundness
noun
sound
2 of 2 intransitive verb
: to be based or founded : have a specified basis for an action
—used with in
those remedies for rent which sounded in contract—O. W. Holmes, Jr.
O. W. Holmes, Jr.Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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