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Definition of soundnext
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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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sound

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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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as in hearing
range of hearing wandered off, out of her parents' sight and sound

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sound

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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

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adjective

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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
Maness, who spent the night clocking the hotel elevator’s comings and goings, said her room was on the first floor where sounds often reverberate. Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026 That doesn’t sound too bad in a vacuum, given that this was Peter Mallouk’s first transfer window as principal owner. Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026
Noun
Tear gas drifted through the air, punctuated by the sound of flash-bang grenades. Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 Semiofficial news outlets in Iran reported sounds of explosions near Larak island on the strait. Konstantin Toropin, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Adjective
The real payoff of a sound bath date is a different kind of intimacy. Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2026 In any case, the rainy and windy weather is a fantastic showcase of the game's visuals and sound FX work. Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sound
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sound
Verb
  • The symmetry, the sense of exact echoing across a central median, an inescapable reversibility.
    Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
  • This echoed Frederick Winslow Taylor’s idea of scientific management, which sought efficiency through control and standardization of the labor process.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Three hours before hitting the runway, what seem like hundreds of corsets in the workroom need to be laced in; even the models are helping.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Aside from happy love affairs that usually turn into friendships, there might seem from the outside to be too little family in my life.
    Gloria Steinem, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Sales at the Swiss-American group were falling after a brief pandemic boom, when consumers had rushed to equip their home offices, and one of its co-founders had publicly voiced concern about the company’s future.
    Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Overall, critics voiced concern over giving outside investors a long-term stake in some of FIFA’s most valuable commercial assets and the influence that might give them over the world’s largest sporting event.
    Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Walsh, 40, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder on Friday, police announced.
    Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 5 Sep. 2026
  • House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and the Democratic National Committee announced Friday counterprogramming plans to the GOP’s two-day confab.
    Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Here, the company’s founder and president of the board Carlos Pereira de Souza discusses DelRio’s competitive advantages, its plans to further scale its business and what sets Brazil apart as a sourcing destination.
    SJ Studio, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026
  • As adoption scales from a pilot of a few hundred employees to thousands of AI agents running continuously across customer service, product data and supply chain workflows, token costs become a bigger deal.
    Adrian Carr, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The California utility’s stock dropped another 7% after plunging 20% Monday.
    Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • In the same time, shootings plunged 48%, robberies 35% and car thefts 20% — and those levels have generally improved or held this year.
    Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • His team has recently been studying how hearing factors into this, and preliminary findings indicate that the sounds people make while swimming can make a shark more likely to approach from a distance.
    Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Matt Bevin has missed several court dates in the case and did not attend the May 29 hearing in person as required by the judge, appearing via Zoom instead.
    Lucas Aulbach, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Wright also said that the average amount of oil passing through the strait is now 8 million barrels a day.
    Gordon Lubold, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The Iranian armed forces said those attacks against sites on Larak Island in the strait killed military personnel and civilians.
    Jane Arraf, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sound.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sound. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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