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Auditory is close in meaning to acoustic and acoustical, but auditory usually refers more to hearing than to sound. For instance, many dogs have great auditory (not acoustic) powers, and the auditory nerve lets us hear by connecting the inner ear to the brain. Acoustic and acoustical instead refer especially to instruments and the conditions under which sound can be heard; so architects concern themselves with the acoustic properties of an auditorium, and instrument makers with those of a clarinet or piano.
Synonyms
Examples of auditory in a Sentence
Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner, 30 Jan. 2023
But as the auditory confusion clears, moments where cross-purposes align have the power of the Ghostbusters crossing their streams.
—Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 19 Jan. 2023
Both versions offer an exceptional auditory experience with plenty of snaps, crackles, and pops coming from the exhaust.
—Drew Dorian, Car and Driver, 12 Jan. 2023
In a 2020 study, researchers at the University of Lincoln in the U.K. compared the hearing and auditory functions of dogs and humans.
—Joe Phelan, Discover Magazine, 11 Jan. 2023
Certain ideas of auditory refuge from this constant cacophony have surged in popularity online and in research circles.
—Haley Weiss, Time, 6 Jan. 2023
But sometimes a title is good not just because of its auditory pleasures, but also as a narrative; and going for a walk and listening can be just as rewarding a process as curling up and reading.
—Sebastian Modak, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2023
Her voice was an ache in auditory form, a melodic prayer of hope and hurt.
—Jen Chaney, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2022
According to Fetterman’s doctors, the candidate sometimes has difficulty speaking and experiences auditory processing issues five months after his stroke.
—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 26 Oct. 2022
Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2023
Deepfakes, which can be visual or auditory, and manipulated images, can be used to spread false information and misrepresent individuals.
—Foreign Affairs, 21 Aug. 2023
In people with cerebral palsy, auditory stimulation has been shown to help with gait speed and posture according to a meta-analysis of 14 studies.
—Nada Hassanein, USA TODAY, 2 May 2023
The National Library of Medicine describes the symptoms of schizophrenia as including hallucinations, most commonly auditory but often involving hallucinatory visions, smells or even tastes, as well.
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 28 Aug. 2023
Neuroscientists attached electrical sensors to the surface of 29 epilepsy patients’ brains to study their response to auditory stimuli.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 Aug. 2023
Other calming noises include fan, sea, and rain sounds.
ASMR: This includes auditory, visual, or tactile stimuli that induce relaxation.
—Krissy Brady, Health, 27 July 2023
Short-term memory seems to comprise multiple forms: extremely short-term sense memories, some auditory and some visual and spatial, regulated by some kind of central attention or executive function.
—Jacob Bacharach, The New Republic, 25 July 2023
Chiropractic care emerged from the medical ether in 1895 when Daniel D. Palmer, its pioneer, successfully performed a spinal manipulation that purportedly improved a patient's auditory faculties.
—Maria Williams, USA TODAY, 15 Aug. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'auditory.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Noun
Middle English auditorie, borrowed from Latin audītōrium "hall, body of listeners" — more at auditorium
Adjective
borrowed from Late Latin audītōrius, from audīre "to hear" + -tōrius, deverbal adjective suffix originally forming derivatives from agent nouns ending in -tōr-, -tor — more at audible entry 1
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1578, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing auditory
Dictionary Entries Near auditory
Cite this Entry
“Auditory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/auditory. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
auditory
adjective
Medical Definition
auditory
1 of 2 adjective
More from Merriam-Webster on auditory
Nglish: Translation of auditory for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of auditory for Arabic Speakers
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