white noise

noun

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

Examples of white noise in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Wrong moves produced random, unpredictable signals—white noise. —Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 28 Mar. 2026

Blackout curtains and a white noise machine reduce the environmental disruptions that land hardest during lighter early-morning sleep stages. —Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 23 Mar. 2026

Blackout curtains or a white noise machine can reduce the environmental disruptions that tend to hit hardest during lighter REM sleep. —Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 23 Mar. 2026

Returning to the topic of the internet’s white noise, Levy said that if a filmmaker can’t mute it, they will get lost in that fog, which will affect a movie’s quality. —Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for white noise

• counterpoise
• equipoise
• alloys
• annoys
• carboys
• convoys
• cowboys
• deploys
• destroys
• employes
• employs
• enjoys

Kids Definition

white noise

noun

1

: an even mixture of sound waves extending over a wide frequency range

2

: a constant background noise

especially : one that drowns out other sounds

Medical Definition

white noise

noun

: 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