sound 1 of 5

verb (1)

Definition of soundnext
1
as in to echo
to continue or be repeated in a series of reflected sound waves the stranded hiker's cries for help sounded throughout the canyon

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2
as in to seem
to give the impression of being the idea at least sounds plausible

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3
as in to voice
to make known (as an idea, emotion, or opinion) a person who certainly isn't shy about sounding her opinions

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4
as in to announce
to make known openly or publicly the grand opening of the region's newest and largest mall has been loudly sounded for months

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sound

2 of 5

verb (2)

1
as in to scale
to measure the depth of (as a body of water) typically with a weighted line the pilot sounded the river to make sure we weren't in any danger of running aground

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2
as in to plunge
to cast oneself head first into deep water a whale suddenly surfaced and then, just as suddenly, sounded

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sound

3 of 5

noun (1)

ˈsau̇nd How to pronounce sound (audio)
as in hearing
range of hearing wandered off, out of her parents' sight and sound

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sound

4 of 5

noun (2)

as in strait
a narrow body of water between two land masses Long Island Sound is between Connecticut and Long Island, New York

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sound

5 of 5

adjective

1
as in logical
according to the rules of logic sound reasoning alone should tell you that the result is invalid

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in healthy
enjoying health and vigor the horse is getting along in years, but still perfectly sound

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3
as in sturdy
marked by the ability to withstand stress without structural damage or distortion the shed looks flimsy, but it's actually surprisingly sound

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sound different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of sound are cogent, convincing, telling, and valid. While all these words mean "having such force as to compel serious attention and usually acceptance," sound implies a basis of flawless reasoning or of solid grounds.

a sound proposal for reviving the economy

When might cogent be a better fit than sound?

While in some cases nearly identical to sound, cogent may stress either weight of sound argument and evidence or lucidity of presentation.

the prosecutor's cogent summation won over the jury

When is convincing a more appropriate choice than sound?

The meanings of convincing and sound largely overlap; however, convincing suggests a power to overcome doubt, opposition, or reluctance to accept.

a convincing argument for welfare reform

When could telling be used to replace sound?

While the synonyms telling and sound are close in meaning, telling stresses an immediate and crucial effect striking at the heart of a matter.

a telling example of bureaucratic waste

When can valid be used instead of sound?

In some situations, the words valid and sound are roughly equivalent. However, valid implies being supported by objective truth or generally accepted authority.

a valid reason for being absent
a valid marriage

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sound
Verb
The model was doing exactly what it was trained to do, which was to produce plausible-sounding continuations of the prompts Lemoine had chosen to feed it about consciousness. — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026 This may sound low but is substantial in the context of wages that range from 23 cents to 50 cents per hour. — Jaquelyn Jahn, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026
Noun
When Nene Kikutadze’s cochlear implant was activated, her mother, Natia, watched her daughter hear sound for the first time. — Lauryn Higgins, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 For example, whether a mortgage is financially sound depends on factors including the home price, loan terms, and the borrower's income stability and financial reserves. — Stephanie Dhue, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Adjective
Power, input, voice mode, and sound field mode buttons sit above the volume rocker. — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 2026 Inside, Apple added an S10 chip that processes audio in real time to improve sound performance. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sound
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sound
  1. echo
  2. seem
  3. voice
  4. announce
  5. scale
  6. plunge
  7. hearing
  8. strait
Verb
  • Miller's attempt to recast the conversation about his divorce echoed efforts by other candidates who are struggling to overcome concerns about their character.
    — Lara Korte The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The three-word message echoed her earlier defense of teenage fans caught in a confrontation at a Seattle Storm game after showing support for her stance on women’s sports.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of echo
Verb
  • The shop claimed to have reached out to clear the air, however that air does not seem to be getting any clearer.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2026
  • One of the other things that Claude noticed was that these array of associated reverse transcriptases seem to be isolated to jumbo phages, which have very large genomes for bacteriophage.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of seem
Verb
  • For Peyton Elizabeth Lee, who voices the lead character Prue, alongside actors like Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Jake Johnson, and Jacob Tremblay, that experience was quite different.
    — Bridget Arsenault, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Saints principal owner Gayle Benson voiced her concerns Tuesday, less than two full days after the team dropped its third consecutive game.
    — Chantz Martin OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of voice
Verb
  • Trump blindsided Zelenskyy last weekend by announcing that Ukraine and Russia had agreed not to target each other's energy facilities.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
  • In recent weeks, legal trouble has brewed between her estate and nephew Brian Seaver, who was also her longtime head of security and the one who announced her passing to fans in a video on her social media.
    — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of announce
Verb
  • DannijoPro has tapped Pat Geraghty, former president and chief executive officer of GuideWell and its subsidiary Florida Blue, as CEO as the company looks to scale its business.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • How Creator Relationships With Viewers Are Changing As creator content has become more professionally produced and even scaled via generative AI tools, the audience’s emotional relationship to creators has changed, as well.
    — William Daddi, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of scale
Verb
  • While there was plenty of skin on display — transparent dresses, breasts covered merely by jewelry or a model’s hand, and plunging necklines — the brand is deeply rooted in inclusivity.
    — Rachael Akhidenor, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026
  • CoreWeave was the poster child of last week's declines, plunging more than 25%.
    — Fred Imbert, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of plunge
Noun
  • Alfozan’s attorney, William Pernik, declined to comment, saying in an email he and his client were focused on preparing for a hearing scheduled for Monday.
    — Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • At a hearing following the discovery, Morris’ defense attorneys argued that the law does not allow that a death penalty waiver be rescinded.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of hearing
Noun
  • Still, tourism around the strait has not completely ground to a halt.
    — Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Wider shipping disruptions While some operators remain willing to transit Hormuz, much of the global container shipping industry has already adjusted its networks to avoid the strait.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of strait

Phrases Containing sound

Browse Nearby Words

soul-searchings
sound
sound bite
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Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Sound.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sound. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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