1
: utilizing, produced by, or relating to sound waves
sonic altimeter
broadly
: of or involving sound
sonic pollution
2
: having a frequency within the audibility range of the human ear
—used of waves and vibrations
3
: of, relating to, or being the speed of sound in air or about 761 miles per hour (1224 kilometers per hour) at sea level at 59°F (15°C)
Did you know?
A sonic boom is an explosive sound created by a shock wave formed at the nose of an aircraft. In 1947 a plane piloted by Chuck Yeager burst the "sound barrier" and created the first sonic boom. In the decades afterward sonic booms became a familiar sound to Americans. (Because of steps that were eventually taken, sonic booms are rarely heard anymore.) Today sonic is often used by ambitious rock musicians to describe their experimental sounds.
Examples of sonic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Developed by Enhance Games, whose CEO Tetsuya Mizuguchi originally created the series, the current vision of Lumines turns up its visual and sonic components to borderline hallucinogenic heights.
—
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025
One thing that stuck with me was how John Cale described a key sonic requirement of The Velvet Underground.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 10 Nov. 2025
Cosplay furthers the cause with a dazzling array of comic pop culture references, repurposed arcana, and piquant sonic signifiers from the annals of indie-rock.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 7 Nov. 2025
The night was more of a sonic scrapbook than a concert as songs from all facets of McCartney's musical career, from The Beatles to Wings to his solo material, were backed with video footage of John, Paul, George and Ringo throughout their time as a band.
—Melonee Hurt, Nashville Tennessean, 7 Nov. 2025
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Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025
One thing that stuck with me was how John Cale described a key sonic requirement of The Velvet Underground.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 10 Nov. 2025
Cosplay furthers the cause with a dazzling array of comic pop culture references, repurposed arcana, and piquant sonic signifiers from the annals of indie-rock.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 7 Nov. 2025
The night was more of a sonic scrapbook than a concert as songs from all facets of McCartney's musical career, from The Beatles to Wings to his solo material, were backed with video footage of John, Paul, George and Ringo throughout their time as a band.
—Melonee Hurt, Nashville Tennessean, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sonic
Cite this Entry
“Sonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sonic. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sonic
adjective
son·ic
ˈsän-ik 
: using, produced by, or relating to sound waves
Medical Definition
sonic
adjective
son·ic
ˈsän-ik
1
: having a frequency within the audibility range of the human ear
—used of waves and vibrations
2
: utilizing, produced by, or relating to sound waves
a sonic device used to rupture cell walls
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