white noise

noun

|Updated on: 29 Jul 2018

Definition of white noise

1 a : a heterogeneous mixture of sound waves extending over a wide frequency range — compare pink noise

b : a constant background noise; especially : one that drowns out other sounds

2 : meaningless or distracting commotion, hubbub, or chatter

the white noise of policy and politics in America
—Joseph Nocera

See white noise defined for English-language learners

See white noise defined for kids

Recent Examples of white noise from the Web

From the safe little room in the middle of my old house, the tornadoes sounded like creamy-smooth, deep-white noise underneath the constant mid-range hissing of the rain.

— timothy morton, The Atlantic, "The Hurricane in My Backyard," 8 July 2018
In the last month, he's added another step to his routine: donning Bose white noise headphones in an attempt to drown out the noise emanating from Golden Road Brewing Co. six stories below.

— benjy egel, sacbee, "Golden Road Brewing keeps its neighbors up at night. Is the city partially to blame?," 21 June 2018
Play music or a white noise machine to help dilute the sound of the fireworks.

— Southern Living, "How to Keep Dogs Calm During Fireworks," 3 July 2018
The white noise of water-spray competed with the radio voices.

— aaron gilbreath, Longreads, "Five Early Lessons in Parenting," 5 May 2018
For both dogs and cats, create a safe space inside the house with music or white noise that drowns out the fireworks and keeps them calm.

— cathy m. rosenthal, courant.com, "Pet World: Helping Dogs And Cats Survive The Fourth Of July," 22 June 2018
Shushing = Sleep All babies sleep better with rumbly white noise … and most parents do, too!

— anya leon, PEOPLE.com, "5 Tips to Help Your Baby Be a Great Sleeper from Dr. Harvey Karp, Founder of Happiest Baby," 27 Feb. 2018
Even if the team stinks, baseball remains good white noise for the home.

— mac engel, star-telegram, "An ex TCU baseball player misses at the Kentucky Derby but wins anyway | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 5 May 2018
The bassinet keeps a baby swaddled safely, sways when needed, plays white noise, has sensors that can change the intensity of each stimulus, and can be adjusted from afar by a smartphone.

— Philly.com, "The problem with Harvey Karp's $1,160 bassinet," 26 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'white noise.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of white noise

1943

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Medical Dictionary

white noise

noun

medical Definition of white noise

: a heterogeneous mixture of sound waves extending over a wide frequency range that has been used to mask out unwanted noise interfering with sleep — called also white sound