sound off

verb

sounded off; sounding off; sounds off

intransitive verb

1
: to play three chords before and after marching up and down a line of troops during a ceremonial parade or formal guard mount
2
: to count cadence while marching
3
a
: to speak up in a loud voice
b
: to voice one's opinions freely and vigorously

Examples of sound off in a Sentence

she never missed a chance to sound off about the latest “stupid” political decisions the guard captain commanded each sentry to sound off
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The candidates sounded off on balancing the needs of homeowners and renters, private property rights and the biggest challenges Boise residents face. Idaho Statesman, 15 Oct. 2025 The artist never revealed what caused the reaction, but asked for fans' grace in case a note sounded off. Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Oct. 2025 In chatty columns for the school paper, the Bowdoin Orient, Mamdani regularly sounded off on the topics of the day. Eric Lach, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025 Earlier in the year, Kennedy’s nephew Jack Schlossberg sounded off on social media that the family had not been consulted about the project. Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sound off

Word History

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sound off was in 1909

Cite this Entry

“Sound off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sound%20off. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

sound off

verb
1
: to count while marching
2
: to voice one's opinions freely with force
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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