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a
: measurement of depth especially with a sounding line
b
: the depth so ascertained
c
soundings plural
: a place or part of a body of water where a hand sounding line will reach bottom
2
: measurement of atmospheric conditions at various heights
3
: a probe, test, or sampling of opinion or intention
Example Sentences
Noun
The sailors were taking soundings as the ship approached the coast.
Recent Examples on the Web
Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2022
In early 2013, Mikaela Sanford responded to a Craigslist job posting for a small Sacramento company with mundane-sounding responsibilities: communicating with contractors, overseeing data entry and handling client correspondence.
—Melissa Korn, WSJ, 20 Aug. 2022
The Sonos Move is a full-sounding wireless speaker that works over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
—Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 8 June 2022
The European Commission also defended the application saying that similar-sounding or homonymous names were not an adequate reason for rejecting a request.
—Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2021
The group’s simple-sounding but highly sophisticated songs have endured since the group, consisting of two married couples, split amid the breakup of the two couples in 1982.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 2 Sep. 2021
The group’s simple-sounding but highly sophisticated songs have endured since the group, consisting of two married couples, split amid the breakup of the two couples in 1982.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 2 Sep. 2021
The group’s simple-sounding but highly sophisticated songs have endured since the group, consisting of two married couples, split amid the breakup of the two couples in 1982.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 2 Sep. 2021
The group’s simple-sounding but highly sophisticated songs have endured since the group, consisting of two married couples, split amid the breakup of the two couples in 1982.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 2 Sep. 2021
Hank Shteamer, SPIN, 24 Jan. 2023
Today, McIntosh offers many dozens of solid-state components, but its MC275, designed in 1961 and now in its sixth generation, is regarded as one of the most iconic—and sweet sounding—ever made.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 22 Jan. 2023
Bharucha followed the clip with a similar sounding song, and then another.
—Joseph Calamia, Discover Magazine, 7 June 2010
Stations were set along the route where the procession stopped to hear the sounding of the shofar.
—Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 26 Sep. 2022
That critical gap between the sign of smoke and the sounding of the alarm, investigators found, was the first in a cascading set of failures, by both the crew and leadership on the pier.
—Megan Rose, ProPublica, 23 Sep. 2022
Investing in a good microphone with a pop filter can help take your podcast sound from amateur to professional sounding in a matter of minutes.
—Ginni Saraswati, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2022
Allies within the organization can provide advice and act as valuable sounding boards.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes, 22 May 2022
As Tommy’s experiences in the tunnels of France mark a continued incubus for his character, with visions of being pulled into the mud, the sounding of the bell coincides with his own inner peace.
—Josh St. Clair, Men's Health, 13 June 2022
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Adjective
Her attempt to package her experience as an advice book has the feel of what Freud called secondary revision, the effort to master chaotic psychic material by shoehorning it into a reasonable-sounding narrative.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2022
In early 2013, Mikaela Sanford responded to a Craigslist job posting for a small Sacramento company with mundane-sounding responsibilities: communicating with contractors, overseeing data entry and handling client correspondence.
—Melissa Korn, WSJ, 20 Aug. 2022
The Sonos Move is a full-sounding wireless speaker that works over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
—Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 8 June 2022
The European Commission also defended the application saying that similar-sounding or homonymous names were not an adequate reason for rejecting a request.
—Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2021
The group’s simple-sounding but highly sophisticated songs have endured since the group, consisting of two married couples, split amid the breakup of the two couples in 1982.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 2 Sep. 2021
The group’s simple-sounding but highly sophisticated songs have endured since the group, consisting of two married couples, split amid the breakup of the two couples in 1982.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 2 Sep. 2021
The group’s simple-sounding but highly sophisticated songs have endured since the group, consisting of two married couples, split amid the breakup of the two couples in 1982.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 2 Sep. 2021
The group’s simple-sounding but highly sophisticated songs have endured since the group, consisting of two married couples, split amid the breakup of the two couples in 1982.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 2 Sep. 2021
Noun
Speaking of infernal-sounding, pay close attention around the 4:30 mark here, and witness the occult-metal mastery of Mercyful Fate riffsmith Hank Shermann, abetted by his trusty partner Michael Denner.
—Hank Shteamer, SPIN, 24 Jan. 2023
Today, McIntosh offers many dozens of solid-state components, but its MC275, designed in 1961 and now in its sixth generation, is regarded as one of the most iconic—and sweet sounding—ever made.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 22 Jan. 2023
Bharucha followed the clip with a similar sounding song, and then another.
—Joseph Calamia, Discover Magazine, 7 June 2010
Stations were set along the route where the procession stopped to hear the sounding of the shofar.
—Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 26 Sep. 2022
That critical gap between the sign of smoke and the sounding of the alarm, investigators found, was the first in a cascading set of failures, by both the crew and leadership on the pier.
—Megan Rose, ProPublica, 23 Sep. 2022
Investing in a good microphone with a pop filter can help take your podcast sound from amateur to professional sounding in a matter of minutes.
—Ginni Saraswati, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2022
Allies within the organization can provide advice and act as valuable sounding boards.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes, 22 May 2022
As Tommy’s experiences in the tunnels of France mark a continued incubus for his character, with visions of being pulled into the mud, the sounding of the bell coincides with his own inner peace.
—Josh St. Clair, Men's Health, 13 June 2022
See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sounding.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Word History
Phrases Containing sounding
Dictionary Entries Near sounding
Cite this Entry
“Sounding.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sounding. Accessed 22 Mar. 2023.
Kids Definition
sounding
noun
sound·ing
ˈsau̇n-diŋ
1
a
: measurement of depth especially with a sounding line
b
: the depth found by sounding
2
: an investigation, test, or sampling of opinion or intention
More from Merriam-Webster on sounding
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for sounding
Nglish: Translation of sounding for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of sounding for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sounding
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