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
They’re designed to be that way and will probably continue to function as sonic caverns so long as current aesthetics are in fashion.
—
Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 13 May 2026
Marcloid may often employ the sonic language of misery and darkness, but her glistening synths, rubbery rhythms, and radioactive colors transform a raging storm into an expression of radiant, high-definition joy.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 8 May 2026
Like almost all modern iterations of music, the genre of Catalan rumba has evolved alongside streaming-era influences and the younger generations of musicians who have taken up its sonic essences and distilled them through their own lenses.
—Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
Released on this day in May 1967, Are You Experienced by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, produced by Chas Chandler, revolutionized rock music by transforming the electric guitar into a vehicle for unprecedented sonic exploration.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sonic
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Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 13 May 2026
Marcloid may often employ the sonic language of misery and darkness, but her glistening synths, rubbery rhythms, and radioactive colors transform a raging storm into an expression of radiant, high-definition joy.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 8 May 2026
Like almost all modern iterations of music, the genre of Catalan rumba has evolved alongside streaming-era influences and the younger generations of musicians who have taken up its sonic essences and distilled them through their own lenses.
—Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
Released on this day in May 1967, Are You Experienced by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, produced by Chas Chandler, revolutionized rock music by transforming the electric guitar into a vehicle for unprecedented sonic exploration.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026
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 May. 2026.
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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