sound
/saʊnd/Something you hear when vibrations travel through air, water, or another material. It can be loud or quiet, pleasant or unpleasant.
- I heard a strange sound outside.
- The sound of rain helped me sleep.
In good condition, safe, or based on good judgment. A sound idea is sensible and likely to work.
- The bridge is still sound.
- That is a sound business plan.
To make a noise, or to seem a certain way when spoken about. In this sense, it often follows a linking verb.
- The alarm sounded at midnight.
- Her suggestion sounded reasonable.
Adinary Nuance
Sound is a very broad word, so it depends on context. As a noun, it means any noise; noise often suggests unwanted or unpleasant sound. As an adjective, sound means safe, solid, or sensible, which is stronger and more formal than simply good or okay. In speech, it can also mean “seems” or “appears” in phrases like “sounds good.”
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- âm thanh
- Spanish
- sonido
- Chinese
- 声音
- Japanese
- 音
- Korean
- 소리
Etymology
Sound comes from Old English sund, meaning 'noise,' and from Old English gesund, meaning 'healthy or safe.' These two old words later shaped the modern senses.
Common phrases
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between sound and noise?
- Sound is the general word. Noise often means a louder, harsher, or unwanted sound.
- Is sound formal or informal when it means 'sensible'?
- It is fairly formal in writing, but common in everyday English too.
- Can I say 'sounds good' in conversation?
- Yes. It is very common and natural when you agree with an idea.
- What does 'sound asleep' mean?
- It means sleeping very deeply.