sound
SOWND
Sound (noun) means a sensation perceived by the ear, caused by vibrations traveling through air or another medium. Example: “She heard the sound of footsteps in the hallway.”
noun
1
A sensation perceived by the ear, caused by vibrations traveling through air or another medium.
"She heard the sound of footsteps in the hallway."
"Thunder made a deep rumbling sound overhead."
"We could hear the sound of church bells across the valley."
2
A long, narrow stretch of water connecting two larger bodies of water, or separating an island from the mainland.
"They sailed through the sound between the island and the coast."
"The ferry crosses the sound several times a day to reach the island."
"Seals often rest on the rocks beside the sound near our village."
verb
1
To produce a sound, or to give an impression through how something comes across.
"The alarm sounded at midnight."
"That plan sounds risky to me."
"Your idea sounds wonderful, so let's try it this weekend."
adj
1
In good condition; healthy, solid, or well-founded.
"The bridge was found structurally sound after inspection."
"Her argument was logically sound."
"After a thorough check, the mechanic declared the old engine perfectly sound."
How to use sound
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDepending on context: a noise, the act of making noise, "healthy/solid," or a narrow channel of water.
Common mistake
The "healthy/solid" sense and the "noise" sense are historically unrelated words that just happen to look alike.
Common pairings
sound asleep
sound advice
the sound of music
sound like
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Word forms
- Plural
- sounds
- Third person singular
- sounds
- Past tense
- sounded
- Comparative
- sounder, more sound
- Superlative
- soundest, most sound
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She heard the _____ of footsteps in the hallway.
Etymology
The "healthy/solid" and "strait of water" senses both trace to Old English words for "healthy" and a Germanic word for a narrow channel; the "noise" sense comes from a separate Latin root (sonus), making "sound" effectively three different words that merged in spelling.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for sound
See all rhymes for sound →Frequently asked questions
What does “sound” mean?
The word “sound” means a sensation perceived by the ear, caused by vibrations traveling through air or another medium. In plain terms, depending on context: a noise, the act of making noise, "healthy/solid," or a narrow channel of water.
How do you pronounce “sound”?
“Sound” is pronounced SOWND (/ˈsaʊ̯nd/ in IPA).
How do you use “sound” in a sentence?
Here is “sound” used in a sentence: “She heard the sound of footsteps in the hallway.”
What is another word for “sound”?
Words with a similar meaning to “sound” include noise, echo, reecho and resonate.
What is the opposite of “sound”?
The opposite of “sound” — its antonyms — are quiet, silence and stillness.
What part of speech is “sound”?
Depending on how it is used, “sound” can be a noun, a verb and an adjective.
Where does the word “sound” come from?
The word “sound” comes from Latin.
Is “sound” a common word?
“Sound” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
What is the difference between sound and noise?
Sound is any sensation the ear perceives from vibrations travelling through a medium. Noise is a kind of sound — usually one that is unwanted, unpleasant, or random, like traffic or static. All noise is sound, but not all sound is noise; music and speech are sounds we generally welcome.
How does sound travel?
Sound travels as vibrations that ripple through a medium — air, water, or a solid — as waves of compression. The particles pass the energy along until it reaches your ear. Because it needs a medium, sound cannot travel through the vacuum of space, where there is nothing to carry the vibrations.
How is sound measured?
Sound is measured in two main ways. Loudness, or intensity, is measured in decibels (dB) — the higher the number, the louder the sound. Pitch, or frequency, is measured in hertz (Hz), showing how many vibrations occur each second. Together these describe how loud and how high or low a sound is.
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