echo

9 synonyms and 1 antonym for echo, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — Of a sound, to bounce off a surface and be heard again; to reverberate.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

repeat reflect ring mirror recall

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

replication

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

reverberate resound reverberation

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

Of a sound, to bounce off a surface and be heard again; to reverberate.

“Their voices echoed around the large stone hall.”

reverberate resound repeat reflect ring mirror recall

2. noun

A sound reflected back to the listener; also, a repetition of an idea or feeling.

“We shouted into the cave and heard our voices return as a faint echo.”

replication reverberation

Opposites

original

How to use echo

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

echo through the hall faint echo echo someone's sentiments

Etymology

From Greek ēkhṓ, "sound" or "echo," via Latin and Old French — in Greek myth, Echo was a nymph condemned by Hera to only repeat the last words spoken to her.

Full origin of echo →

Frequently asked questions

What does “echo” mean?

The word “echo” means of a sound, to bounce off a surface and be heard again; to reverberate. In plain terms, a sound bouncing back, or figuratively, an idea or feeling being repeated or reflected elsewhere.

How do you pronounce “echo”?

“Echo” is pronounced EHK-oh (/ˈɛk.oʊ/ in IPA).

How do you use “echo” in a sentence?

Here is “echo” used in a sentence: “Her footsteps echoed down the empty corridor.”

What part of speech is “echo”?

Depending on how it is used, “echo” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “echo” come from?

The word “echo” comes from Latin. From Greek ēkhṓ, "sound" or "echo," via Latin and Old French — in Greek myth, Echo was a nymph condemned by Hera to only repeat the last words spoken to her.

Is “echo” a common word?

“Echo” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the C2 level.

How many meanings does “echo” have?

“Echo” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: of a sound, to bounce off a surface and be heard again; to reverberate.

Is the plural of echo "echoes" or "echos"?

The standard plural is echoes, with -es. The same spelling appears in the verb form — "the canyon echoes" — while the past tense is echoed and the present participle is echoing.

What is the difference between an echo and a reverberation?

An echo is a sound that bounces off a surface and is heard again as a distinct repetition. Reverberation is the overlapping persistence of many reflections, heard as a prolonged tail of sound rather than a separate repeat. You hear an echo across a canyon and reverberation inside a large hall.

What is an echo chamber?

An echo chamber is an environment — often a social media feed or a like-minded group — in which people mainly hear opinions that repeat and reinforce their own. The metaphor comes from a space where sounds are reflected back, so the same ideas keep bouncing around unchallenged.

People also searched

original ring repeat mirror recall reflect replication reverberation reverberate resound

Nearby words

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