sound

1 of 7

noun (1)

ˈsau̇nd 

1

a

: a particular auditory impression : tone

b

: the sensation perceived by the sense of hearing

c

: mechanical radiant energy that is transmitted by longitudinal pressure waves in a material medium (such as air) and is the objective cause of hearing

2

a

: a speech sound

a peculiar r-sound

b

: value in terms of speech sounds

-cher of teacher and -ture of creature have the same sound

3

a

: meaningless noise

b

: the impression conveyed : import

c

obsolete : meaning

4

: hearing distance : earshot

within sound of your voice

5

: recorded auditory material

6

: a particular musical style characteristic of an individual, a group, or an area

the Nashville sound

7

archaic : rumor, fame

sound

2 of 7

verb (1)

sounded; sounding; sounds

transitive verb

1

a

: to cause to sound

sound a trumpet

b

: pronounce sense 3a

2

: to put into words : voice

3

a

: to make known : proclaim

b

: to order, signal, or indicate by a sound

sound the alarm

4

: to examine by causing to emit sounds

sound the lungs

5

chiefly British : to convey the impression of : sound like

that sounds a logical use of resources

—Economist

intransitive verb

1

a

: to make a sound

b

: resound

c

: to give a summons by sound

the bugle sounds to battle

2

: to make or convey an impression especially when heard

it sounds good to me

you sound just like your mother

soundable

ˈsau̇n-də-bəl 

adjective

sound

3 of 7

adjective

1

a

: free from injury or disease

of sound mind

b

: free from flaw, defect, or decay

sound timber

2

a

: solid, firm

sound construction

b

: stable

a sound economy

also : secure, reliable

sound investments

3

a

: free from error, fallacy, or misapprehension

sound advice

sound reasoning

b

: exhibiting or based on thorough knowledge and experience

sound scholarship

c

: legally valid

a sound title

d

: logically valid and having true premises

a sound estimate

e

: agreeing with accepted views : orthodox

sound doctrine

4

a

: thorough

a sound recovery

b

: deep and undisturbed

a sound sleep

c

: hard, severe

a sound whipping

5

: showing good judgment or sense

a sound advisor

soundly

ˈsau̇n(d)-lē 

adverb

soundness

ˈsau̇n(d)-nəs 

noun

sound

4 of 7

adverb

: to the full extent : thoroughly

sound asleep

sound

5 of 7

noun (2)

1

a

: a long broad inlet of the ocean generally parallel to the coast

b

: a long passage of water connecting two larger bodies (such as a sea with the ocean) or separating a mainland and an island

2

: the air bladder of a fish

sound

6 of 7

verb (2)

sounded; sounding; sounds

transitive verb

1

: to measure the depth of : fathom

2

: to try to find out the views or intentions of : probe

—often used with out

3

: to explore or examine (a body cavity) with a sound

intransitive verb

1

a

: to ascertain the depth of water especially with a sounding line

b

: to look into or investigate the possibility

sent commissioners … to sound for peace

—Thomas Jefferson

2

: to dive down suddenly

—used of a fish or whale

sound

7 of 7

noun (3)

: an elongated instrument for exploring or sounding body cavities

Did you know?

English contains several sound homographs, all with distinct histories. For example, the sound that means "something heard" descends from Latin sonus ("sound"), whereas the sound that means "to measure the depth of water" traces to Middle French sonde ("sounding line"). Another sound, as in "of sound mind and body," is the contemporary form of Old English's gesund. Gesund is related to several words in other languages, such as Old Saxon gisund ("sound"), Old Frisian sund ("fresh, unharmed, healthy"), and Gothic swinths ("sound" or "healthy"). Another relative is Old High German's gisunt ("healthy"), which led to modern German's gesund, the root of gesundheit.

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• earshot
• hail
• hearing

Verb (1)

• echo
• reecho
• resonate
• resound
• reverberate

Adjective

• analytic
• analytical
• coherent
• consequent
• good
• logical
• rational
• reasonable
• sensible
• valid
• well-founded
• well-grounded

Noun (2)

• channel
• narrows
• neck
• strait

Verb (2)

• fathom
• plumb

Choose the Right Synonym for sound

healthy, sound, wholesome, robust, hale, well mean enjoying or indicative of good health.

healthy implies full strength and vigor as well as freedom from signs of disease.

a healthy family

sound emphasizes the absence of disease, weakness, or malfunction.

a sound heart

wholesome implies appearance and behavior indicating soundness and balance.

a face with a wholesome glow

robust implies the opposite of all that is delicate or sickly.

a lively, robust little boy

hale applies particularly to robustness in old age.

still hale at the age of eighty

well implies merely freedom from disease or illness.

she has never been a well person

valid, sound, cogent, convincing, telling mean having such force as to compel serious attention and usually acceptance.

valid implies being supported by objective truth or generally accepted authority.

a valid reason for being absent

a valid marriage

sound implies a basis of flawless reasoning or of solid grounds.

a sound proposal for reviving the economy

cogent may stress either weight of sound argument and evidence or lucidity of presentation.

the prosecutor's cogent summation won over the jury

convincing suggests a power to overcome doubt, opposition, or reluctance to accept.

a convincing argument for welfare reform

telling stresses an immediate and crucial effect striking at the heart of a matter.

a telling example of bureaucratic waste

Examples of sound in a Sentence

Adjective

a building of sound construction

The bridge is structurally sound.

a sound mind in a sound body

The tests show that his heart is sound.

She used sound reasoning in making the decision.

She gave us some sound advice.

She has a sound understanding of the system's structure.

The stock market has made a sound recovery.

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Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

As ever, the Puerto Rican artist delivers a new dimension of sounds, where Latin urban music meets innovative rhythms, and croons fans with his feel-good and romantic lyrics backed by his sugary vocals. —Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 17 Nov. 2023

Black traditional sound, and the evolution of vocal nuances and whatnot. —Okla Jones, Essence, 17 Nov. 2023

Each microphone is positioned in opposing directions, into and outside the patient, to filter exterior ambient noises from a wearer’s bodily sounds. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 16 Nov. 2023

The exhibition explores how sound can be translated into different mediums and charge objects or images with meaning. —Elizabeth Paton, New York Times, 16 Nov. 2023

After a stilted fifth season, which lacked the focus and majesty of its predecessors, Season 6 opens in Paris amid the glittering lights of the Eiffel Tower and the gut-wrenching sounds of a crash. —Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 16 Nov. 2023

Then something happens: a sound comes from one of the back rooms, and the narrator has to shut the door. —Julia Kornberg, The New York Review of Books, 16 Nov. 2023

For each 45-degree turn there is a click for homophiles that love to hear the sound of the watch winding. —Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 15 Nov. 2023

But while the two often go hand-in-hand, there’s a problem for headphone-wearing gamers: crunching sounds. —Bysteve Mollman, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2023

Verb

While this sounds simple, Sutton said the current conditions and scarce supplies in Gaza prevent this lifesaving care from reaching those who need it – which can quickly become deadly if untreated. —Dr. Jade Cobern, ABC News, 18 Nov. 2023

Classic curb appeal, room for the family (kind of), and more electric range than a new Mini EV… All sounding too good to be true? —Michael Teo Van Runkle, Ars Technica, 17 Nov. 2023

If that sounds up your alley, don’t miss the Omni Parker House Hotel’s beloved version. —Kathleen Felton, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Nov. 2023

Looking at this wider landscape of communication, the consensus on solutions sounds remarkably simple on paper. —WIRED, 17 Nov. 2023

On paper, Preciado’s film sounds too heady — too literate and literary, perhaps. —Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 17 Nov. 2023

How to handle holiday party stress when partying sounds exhausting. —Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2023

Gift your mom the best sleep with this sleeping headband that blocks out all the light and allows gentle sounds through the Bluetooth headphones. —Theresa Johnson, Rolling Stone, 15 Nov. 2023

The music sounded great, but to release it Feldman would need to piece together details, starting with who else was playing on it. —Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2023

Adjective

Sign up for her newsletter to start your mornings off with some sound advice. —Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 18 Nov. 2023

But even then, the sound output was a noticeable upgrade from the Playbar and absolutely trounces the Beam. —Sheena Vasani, The Verge, 17 Nov. 2023

Maya also says that travelers should indulge in one of the many local day spas that offer massage services, oxygen therapy, and sound healing experiences. —Mariette Williams, Essence, 17 Nov. 2023

The creative team includes scenic design by dots, costume design by David Zinn, lighting design by Isabella Byrd and sound design by Mikaal Sulaiman. —Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Nov. 2023

Tapping into the business value of fresh produce Burns also made an economically sound case for fruits and vegetables. —Susan Galer, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023

The sound production for Ureshikute was handled by Koichi Tsutaya. —Billboard Japan, Billboard, 13 Nov. 2023

Considering the quality and low price (slashed by 51 percent right now), the pot holders are a sound addition to your kitchen this holiday season. —Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 13 Nov. 2023

The film’s sound design was derived from natural sounds and enhanced. —Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 10 Nov. 2023

Adverb

The garbage disposal features a generous 0.75 horsepower motor that is sound-insulated. —Kaitlyn McInnis, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Mar. 2023

Some examples include watches with alarms, visual timers, sound-blocking headphones, and calculators. —Lisa Jo Rudy, Verywell Health, 7 Mar. 2023

There could be sound-absorbing qualities, too, which gave the ceilings their other name: acoustical ceilings. —John Kelly, Washington Post, 19 Feb. 2023

Porsche also outfitted lightweight glass and a slinkier battery, whittled out some of the sound-deadening material, and even deleted the rear seat. —Tim Stevens, Ars Technica, 23 Nov. 2022

Every practice and bus ride are sound-tracked by a JBL Bluetooth speaker and a steady stream of hits from Adele and Pitbull. —BostonGlobe.com, 6 Nov. 2021

Qualifying property owners, who must have their buildings sound-tested, will each receive about $40,000 in upgrades. —Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2021

Even more sound-deadening materials arrived for 2004, as did new stereo speakers to take advantage of the ostensibly quieter cabin. —Andrew Wendler, Car and Driver, 29 Apr. 2021

The local fire department said earlier that the main material burning was sound-absorbing cotton. —Bloomberg.com, 25 Sep. 2020

See More

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English soun, from Anglo-French son, sun, from Latin sonus, from sonare to sound; akin to Old English swinn melody, Sanskrit svanati it sounds

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English gesund; akin to Old High German gisunt healthy

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Old English sund swimming, sea & Old Norse sund swimming, strait; akin to Old English swimman to swim

Verb (2)

Middle English, from Middle French sonder, from Old French *sonde sounding line, probably from Old English or Middle English sund- (as in Old English sundlīne sounding line) from sund sea

Noun (3)

French sonde, from Middle French, literally, sounding line

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (3)

1739, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sound

• sound board
• of sound mind
• sound hole
• sound truck
• sound barrier
• sound pressure
• raise/sound the alarm
• sound/ring/toll the death knell
• sound box
• sound like
• surround sound
• sound wave
• sound out
• sound/signal the retreat
• sound bar
• sound and fury
• sound effects
• sound bite
• sound card
• not like the sound of (something)
• (as) sound as a bell
• sound sleeper
• the sound barrier
• sound-and-light show
• sound check
• sound bow
• sound track
• sound off
• break the sound barrier
• sound system

See More

• sound board
• of sound mind
• sound hole
• sound truck
• sound barrier
• sound pressure
• raise/sound the alarm
• sound/ring/toll the death knell
• sound box
• sound like
• surround sound
• sound wave
• sound out
• sound/signal the retreat
• sound bar
• sound and fury
• sound effects
• sound bite
• sound card
• not like the sound of (something)
• (as) sound as a bell
• sound sleeper
• the sound barrier
• sound-and-light show
• sound check
• sound bow
• sound track
• sound off
• break the sound barrier
• sound system

See More

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Kids Definition

sound

1 of 6 adjective

ˈsau̇nd 

1

a

: not diseased or weak : healthy

a sound mind in a sound body

b

: free from imperfection or rot

2

: solid entry 1 sense 4, firm

a building of sound construction

3

: not faulty : valid, right

a sound argument

4

a

: thorough sense 1

a sound revenge

b

: not disturbed

a sound sleep

c

: severe sense 3

a sound beating

5

: showing good judgment or sense

sound advice

soundly

ˈsau̇n-(d)lē 

adverb

soundness

ˈsau̇n(d)-nəs 

noun

sound

2 of 6 adverb

: to the full extent : thoroughly

sound asleep

sound

3 of 6 noun

1

a

: the sensation of hearing

b

: a particular impression obtained by hearing : noise, tone

c

: the energy of vibration that causes the sensation of hearing

2

a

: one of the noises that together make up human speech

the sound of "th" in "this"

b

: a series of spoken noises

3

a

: meaningless noise

b

: the suggestion carried or given by something heard or said

the excuse has a suspicious sound

4

: hearing distance : earshot

within sound of my voice

sound

4 of 6 verb

1

a

: to make or cause to make a sound

b

: resound

the auditorium sounded with applause

c

: resound sense 2

cheers are sounding throughout the gymnasium

d

: to give a signal by sound

the bugle sounds to battle

2

: pronounce sense 3a

sound each word clearly

3

: to put into words : voice

4

a

: to make known : proclaim

b

: to order, signal, or indicate by a sound

sound the alarm

5

: to make or give an impression especially when heard

sounds incredible

sound

5 of 6 noun

: a long passage of water that is wider than a strait and often connects two larger bodies of water or forms a channel between the mainland and an island

sound

6 of 6 verb

1

a

: to measure the depth of (as with a sounding line) : fathom

b

: to look into or investigate the possibility

2

: to try to find out the views or intentions of : probe

sounded me out on the idea

3

: to dive down suddenly

a sounding whale

Etymology

Adjective

Old English gesund "free from injury or disease"

Noun

Middle English soun "a sound, something that can be heard," from early French son (same meaning), from Latin sonus "a sound" — related to unison

Noun

Old English sund "a sea, swimming"

Verb

Middle English sounden "to measure the depth of," from early French sonder (same meaning), from sonde "a line used for measuring depths"; probably of Germanic origin

Medical Definition

sound

1 of 4 adjective

ˈsau̇nd 

1

: free from injury or disease : exhibiting normal health

2

: deep and undisturbed

a sound sleep

soundness noun

sound

2 of 4 noun

1

: a particular auditory impression

heart sounds heard by auscultation

2

: the sensation perceived by the sense of hearing

3

: mechanical radiant energy that is transmitted by longitudinal pressure waves in a material medium (as air) and is the objective cause of hearing

sound

3 of 4 transitive verb

: to explore or examine (a body cavity) with a sound

sound

4 of 4 noun

: an elongated instrument for exploring or examining body cavities

a uterine sound

Legal Definition

sound

1 of 2 adjective

1

a

: free from injury or disease : exhibiting normal health

b

: free from flaw, defect, or decay

a sound design

2

a

: free from error, fallacy, or misapprehension

based on sound judicial reasoning

b

: legally valid

a sound title

3

: showing good judgment or sense

soundly adverb

soundness noun

sound

2 of 2 intransitive verb

: to be based or founded : have a specified basis for an action

—used with in

those remedies for rent which sounded in contract

—O. W. Holmes, Jr.