sound

SOWND/saʊnd/

Pluralsounds

Verbsounds, sounding, sounded

Adjectivesounder, soundest

28 meanings of sound

Practice

1
nouncountable or uncountable
Anything you can hear, carried to your ears by vibrations in the air, water or another material.
Like ripples spreading out on a pond after you drop in a stone.
Sound moves through water faster than through air.
A loud sound can shake the windows in their frames.
UsageA noise is often loud or not nice; a sound can be anything you hear.
2
verbintransitive
To seem a certain way from what you hear or read about something, as in "That sounds like fun."
Pizza and a movie tonight? That sounds great!
From what you've told me, your new teachers sound really nice.
UsageUse a describing word (sounds great) or like + a noun (sounds like fun).
Similarseem, appear
3
verbintransitive
To seem a certain way from the sound of someone's voice or of something you hear.
Like how a smile in someone's voice tells you they are happy.
You sound tired after your long day at work.
Over the phone, she sounded worried about something.
UsageUse a describing word after it: you sound tired.
Similarseem, appear
Note
4
musical stylenouncountable or uncountable
The special way a singer, band, or instrument sounds.
Like recognizing a friend's voice on the phone before they say their name.
The band spent years developing their own sound.
You can recognize that guitarist by his sound alone.
UsageSay their sound, her sound, or the band's sound.
Similarstyle, tone, timbre
Note
5
in good repairadjective
Strong, solid, and not likely to break or fail.
Like a chair with four strong legs that will not wobble.
The bridge is still sound after a hundred years of use.
They built the new house on a sound foundation.
UsageOften with a word that says in what way: financially sound, structurally sound.
Similarsolid, stable, secure, sturdy, strong
Oppositeunstable, shaky, unsafe, weak
6
speech unitnouncountable
One of the small noises we make to form spoken words.
Like how letters build a written word, these small noises build a spoken one.
The 'th' sound is hard for many learners to say.
Babies slowly learn to make every sound in their language.
UsageA sound is not a letter: knife has five letters but only three sounds.
Similarphoneme
Note
7
ring outverbtransitive or intransitive
To make a noise, or to make something like a bell, horn or alarm make a noise.
Like a doorbell ringing when someone pushes the button.
Church bells sound across the valley each Sunday morning.
The siren sounded for a full minute before stopping.
UsageOften in sound the alarm, which can also mean to warn people about a danger.
Similarring, resound, blare, toll, chime
8
sea inletnouncountable
A long, narrow stretch of sea that reaches into the land, runs between land and an island, or joins two seas.
Like a watery hallway between two open rooms of the sea.
The ferry crossed the sound to reach the island.
Whales sometimes swim into the sound during the summer.
UsageOften part of a place name, after it and with a capital letter: Puget Sound.
Similarstrait, channel, inlet, narrows, firth
Note
9
decentadjectiveslangBritishIreland
Good, fine, or pleasant.
Like giving something a thumbs-up.
That new burger place down the road is dead sound.
He's a sound bloke who always helps his mates.
UsageMost often said about a person: he's sound means he's a good person.
Similargreat, decent, solid, reliable, brilliant
Note

Less common meanings

10
adjective
Sensible and based on good reasons, so it is likely to work out well.
My dad gave me sound advice about saving money.
Leaving early to beat the traffic seems like a sound plan to me.
UsageOften in sound advice and a sound decision: sensible and based on good reasons.
Similarsensible, wise, solid, prudent, reasonable
Oppositeunsound, unwise, foolish
Note
11
adjective
In good health and not sick or hurt.
Like a tree with no rot inside: strong and well right through.
After checking it closely, the vet said the horse was sound.
The old dog is still sound despite his age.
UsageOften in safe and sound, meaning safe and not hurt.
Similarhealthy, fit, robust, hale
Oppositeunhealthy, lame, unfit, ill
Note
12
deeply (asleep)adverb
In a deep and complete way, used most often about sleeping.
Like sleeping so deeply that even loud noises don't wake you.
The baby was sound asleep before the story even ended.
Even with the TV on, the twins were sound asleep on the sofa.
UsageMostly in sound asleep. With sleep, people more often say sleep soundly.
Similarfast, deeply, peacefully
Oppositelightly, fitfully, restlessly
Note
13
deep (sleep)adjective
Deep and peaceful, used about sleep.
She finally got a sound sleep after weeks of worry.
The medicine gave the patient a sound night's rest.
UsageSay a sound sleep, or she is sound asleep.
Similardeep, untroubled, peaceful, undisturbed, heavy
Oppositelight, fitful, restless, broken
14
legally validadjective
Based on the law and having no mistakes, so it counts as valid.
Like a ticket that has been checked and is good to use.
The lawyer said their claim was legally sound.
The judge ruled that the contract was sound.
Similarvalid, lawful, legal, binding
Oppositeinvalid, void
15
probe (views)verbtransitive
To carefully find out what someone really thinks or feels by asking or testing them.
Like carefully testing the water with your toe before you jump in.
Before buying the gift, I sounded out my sister about what Mom wanted.
Can you sound out the coach about moving practice to Friday?
UsageUsually sound out: sound someone out about something.
Similarprobe, canvass, question, test, pump
Note
16
pronounceverbtransitive
To say a letter out loud as part of a word.
Most people don't sound the d in 'Wednesday.'
My little brother sounds every letter in 'island,' even the s.
UsageIf you don't sound a letter, it is silent, like the k in knife.
Similarpronounce, articulate, enunciate, utter
17
adjective
Correct and trustworthy because it is built on true facts and good reasoning.
Like a chain where every link is strong, so the whole chain holds.
The teacher showed the class why the argument was sound.
A sound proof leaves no room for doubt.
Note
18
heavy (blow)adjective
Strong and complete, used about a hit, beating, or defeat.
The team suffered a sound defeat on Saturday afternoon.
He gave the dusty rug a sound beating outside.
Similarthorough, severe, decisive, crushing, good
Oppositenarrow
19
measure depthverbtransitive or intransitive
To find out how deep the water is by measuring it.
Like dropping a string with a weight to feel where the bottom is.
Sailors used a weighted rope to sound the channel.
The crew sounded the harbor before sailing in.
Similarplumb, fathom, measure
Note
20
diveverbintransitive
Of a whale, to dive straight down into deep water.
Like diving straight down to the bottom of a deep pool.
The harpooned whale began to sound, dragging the line down fast.
When the pod sensed danger, the big bull sounded and vanished.
Similardive, plunge, submerge
Oppositesurface
Note
21
empty noisenouncountable or uncountable
Noise that has no meaning behind it.
Like a drum that is loud but tells you nothing.
The meeting was all sound and fury, and nothing got decided.
All that talk was empty sound and changed nothing.
UsageOften in sound and fury: lots of noise that means nothing.
Similarnoise, rhetoric, bluster, wind, bombast
Oppositesubstance
Note
22
earshotnoununcountable
The distance over which a noise can still be heard.
Like how close you must be to a friend to hear them call your name.
The children stayed within sound of their mother's voice.
The farmhouse stood within sound of the church bells.
UsageUsually within sound of something, meaning close enough to hear it.
Similarearshot, hearing
23
interjectionslangBritishIreland
Used to say yes or to show that you agree or understand.
Like saying "okay" or "got it."
"I'll see you at eight, then." "Sound, see you there."
"Fancy grabbing a bite later?" "Sound."
UsageSaid as an answer, like okay, to agree with a plan or news.
Similarokay, great, nice
Note
24
verbintransitive
To travel or spread as sound, or to be made known widely.
Like news spreading from person to person until everyone knows.
Her voice sounded clearly through the empty hall.
The children's laughter sounded across the quiet park.
Similarresound, echo, reverberate, spread, circulate
Note
25
verb
Of a legal claim, to belong to or come from a certain area of law.
26
verb
To examine part of the body using a probe, or by tapping or listening.
27
noun
The bag of air inside the body of a fish.
28
noun
A long, thin medical tool used to explore or widen narrow passages inside the body.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of sound apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 5, 9–14, 17–18, 23

From an Old English word 'sund' meaning healthy, safe, and whole.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

The adjective derives from Old English sund, meaning healthy, safe, and whole. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 1–4, 6–7, 16, 21–22, 24

From Latin 'sonus' meaning sound, coming into English through Old French 'son'. The extra '-d' was added around the 1400s.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

The word ultimately derives from Latin sonus, meaning sound. en.wiktionary.org
It entered English through Old French son. en.wiktionary.org
The additional d appeared in the fifteenth century. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 8

From Old English and Old Norse 'sund', meaning a channel, strait, or body of water. It is related to 'swim'.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

The geographical noun derives from Old English and Old Norse sund. en.wikipedia.org
Old Norse sund meant a channel or strait. en.wiktionary.org
Old English sund could mean a body of water. en.wiktionary.org
This noun is etymologically related to swim. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 15, 19–20

From Old French 'sonder', from 'sonde' meaning a sounding line, of Germanic origin.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Sound derives from Old French sonder. en.wiktionary.org
Old French sonder derives from sonde, meaning a sounding line. en.wiktionary.org
Sonde is of Germanic origin. en.wiktionary.org