1
: utilizing, produced by, or relating to sound waves
sonic altimeter
broadly
: of or involving sound
sonic pollution
2
: having a frequency within the audibility range of the human ear
—used of waves and vibrations
3
: of, relating to, or being the speed of sound in air or about 761 miles per hour (1224 kilometers per hour) at sea level at 59°F (15°C)
Did you know?
A sonic boom is an explosive sound created by a shock wave formed at the nose of an aircraft. In 1947 a plane piloted by Chuck Yeager burst the "sound barrier" and created the first sonic boom. In the decades afterward sonic booms became a familiar sound to Americans. (Because of steps that were eventually taken, sonic booms are rarely heard anymore.) Today sonic is often used by ambitious rock musicians to describe their experimental sounds.
Examples of sonic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Each band flexed its unique sound, from the sonic precision of NCAT’s Blue and Gold Marching Machine to the high-octane brass of Southern’s Human Jukebox.
—
Shelby Stewart, Essence, 4 Feb. 2025
But Miami had changed in the years after the pandemic, enjoying a sonic culinary boom that encouraged restaurateurs around the world to scramble for space here.
—Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 28 Jan. 2025
Some of the earliest reports, from 1947 to 1949, were sightings of military assets that were part of the Department of Defense’s Project Mogul, under which the Air Force lofted high altitude balloons carrying sensitive microphones designed to pick up sonic signatures of Soviet nuclear tests.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 22 Jan. 2025
The Sphere, which U2 christened at its September 2023 opening and played for 40 dates, has been a visual and sonic playground for Phish, Dead & Co, the Eagles (with dates through April) and Afterlife Presents Anyma.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025
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Shelby Stewart, Essence, 4 Feb. 2025
But Miami had changed in the years after the pandemic, enjoying a sonic culinary boom that encouraged restaurateurs around the world to scramble for space here.
—Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 28 Jan. 2025
Some of the earliest reports, from 1947 to 1949, were sightings of military assets that were part of the Department of Defense’s Project Mogul, under which the Air Force lofted high altitude balloons carrying sensitive microphones designed to pick up sonic signatures of Soviet nuclear tests.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 22 Jan. 2025
The Sphere, which U2 christened at its September 2023 opening and played for 40 dates, has been a visual and sonic playground for Phish, Dead & Co, the Eagles (with dates through April) and Afterlife Presents Anyma.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for sonic
Dictionary Entries Near sonic
Cite this Entry
“Sonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sonic. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sonic
adjective
son·ic
ˈsän-ik 
: using, produced by, or relating to sound waves
Medical Definition
sonic
adjective
son·ic
ˈsän-ik
1
: having a frequency within the audibility range of the human ear
—used of waves and vibrations
2
: utilizing, produced by, or relating to sound waves
a sonic device used to rupture cell walls
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