: a method or device for detecting and locating objects especially underwater by means of sound waves sent out to be reflected by the objects
also
: a device for detecting the presence of a vessel (such as a submarine) by the sound it emits in water
Examples of sonar in a Sentence
They detected the submarine by using sonar.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Newport News is additionally equipped with advanced sonar to support surveillance as well as Harpoon anti-ship missiles and Mark 48 torpedoes for potential interdiction of surface ships.
—
Amir Daftari
john Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
The 2026 Elite Series will have new restrictions around forward-facing sonar (FFS), also known as live sonar.
—Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2025
Authorities then used divers, sonar and an underwater drone as part of their recovery effort the next day, the statement said.
—Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Using high-resolution bathymetric maps from its deep-sea sonar surveys, along with real-time oceanographic data on temperature, salinity, and currents collected by buoys and research vessels, the PLA has built detailed models of acoustic propagation.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sonar
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Amir Daftari
john Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
The 2026 Elite Series will have new restrictions around forward-facing sonar (FFS), also known as live sonar.
—Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2025
Authorities then used divers, sonar and an underwater drone as part of their recovery effort the next day, the statement said.
—Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Using high-resolution bathymetric maps from its deep-sea sonar surveys, along with real-time oceanographic data on temperature, salinity, and currents collected by buoys and research vessels, the PLA has built detailed models of acoustic propagation.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sonar
Cite this Entry
“Sonar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sonar. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sonar
noun
so·nar
ˈsō-ˌnär 
: a device for detecting the presence and location of submerged objects (as submarines) by sound waves
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