noise
NOIHZ
Noise (noun) means a sound, especially one that is loud, unwanted, or unpleasant. Example: “The construction noise outside made it hard to concentrate.”
noun
1
A sound, especially one that is loud, unwanted, or unpleasant.
"The construction noise outside made it hard to concentrate."
"She heard a strange noise coming from the basement."
"The neighbours complained about the noise coming from the party last night."
2
Random, unwanted variation in a signal, data, or measurement that obscures the real information.
"The engineers had to filter out background noise from the audio recording."
"Averaging many readings helps reduce the noise in the sensor data."
"The photo looks grainy because of electronic noise at high settings."
3
Meaningless fuss, activity, or complaint.
"There was a lot of noise online about the announcement, but it died down quickly."
"Ignore the noise on social media and look at what actually happened."
"All that noise about the new rules turned out to mean very little."
verb
1
To spread information as rumor or gossip.
"It was noised about that the company was planning layoffs."
"News of the merger was noised abroad long before anyone confirmed it."
"Someone had noised it around the village that the old shop was closing."
How to use noise
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUnwanted or random sound, or by extension, meaningless clutter in information or data.
Common pairings
loud noise
background noise
make noise
signal-to-noise ratio
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Word forms
- Plural
- noises
- Third person singular
- noises
- Past tense
- noised
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The construction _____ outside made it hard to concentrate.
Etymology
From Old French noise ("dispute, strife"), of uncertain deeper origin, possibly related to Latin words for "disgust" or "harm."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for noise
See all rhymes for noise →Frequently asked questions
What does “noise” mean?
The word “noise” means a sound, especially one that is loud, unwanted, or unpleasant. In plain terms, unwanted or random sound, or by extension, meaningless clutter in information or data.
How do you pronounce “noise”?
“Noise” is pronounced NOIHZ (/ˈnoɪ̯z/ in IPA).
How do you use “noise” in a sentence?
Here is “noise” used in a sentence: “The construction noise outside made it hard to concentrate.”
What is another word for “noise”?
Words with a similar meaning to “noise” include cacophony, clamour, clash, commotion, din and disquiet.
What is the opposite of “noise”?
The opposite of “noise” — its antonyms — are calm, quiet and silence.
What part of speech is “noise”?
Depending on how it is used, “noise” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “noise” come from?
The word “noise” comes from Latin. From Old French noise ("dispute, strife"), of uncertain deeper origin, possibly related to Latin words for "disgust" or "harm.".
Is “noise” a common word?
“Noise” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between noise and sound?
Sound is any vibration our ears can detect, whether pleasant or not, such as music, speech, or birdsong. Noise is usually sound we do not want: loud, harsh, or distracting, like traffic or a drill. Every noise is a sound, but only unwanted or unpleasant sound is normally called noise.
Can noise be measured?
Yes. Noise is measured in decibels (dB), a scale showing how loud a sound is. A quiet library sits around 30 dB, normal conversation about 60 dB, and heavy traffic or machinery well above 80 dB. Prolonged exposure to high decibel levels can be harmful, which is why noise is closely monitored at work.
Is noise harmful?
It can be. Regular exposure to loud noise, roughly above 85 decibels, can gradually damage hearing, and sudden very loud sounds can harm it at once. Unwanted noise also disturbs sleep, raises stress, and makes it hard to concentrate. This is why workplaces and cities set limits on noise levels.
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