SOUNDS Synonyms: 156 Similar and Opposite Words

sounds 1 of 4

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of sound

as in echoes

to continue or be repeated in a series of reflected sound waves the stranded hiker's cries for help sounded throughout the canyon

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in seems

to give the impression of being the idea at least sounds plausible

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in voices

to make known (as an idea, emotion, or opinion) a person who certainly isn't shy about sounding her opinions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in announces

to make known openly or publicly the grand opening of the region's newest and largest mall has been loudly sounded for months

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sounds

2 of 4

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of sound

as in plumbs

to measure the depth of (as a body of water) typically with a weighted line the pilot sounded the river to make sure we weren't in any danger of running aground

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in plunges

to cast oneself head first into deep water a whale suddenly surfaced and then, just as suddenly, sounded

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

surfaces

sounds

3 of 4

noun (1)

plural of sound

as in hearings

range of hearing wandered off, out of her parents' sight and sound

Synonyms & Similar Words

sounds

4 of 4

noun (2)

plural of sound

as in channels

a narrow body of water between two land masses Long Island Sound is between Connecticut and Long Island, New York

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of sounds

Verb

Completing their sentences with what sounds plausible is not preservation. —

Masha Pearl, Sun Sentinel, 5 July 2026 Video footage of the dogs at Dingo Doggies Campus shows the pups walking on treadmills, training in the gym and relaxing on beds while booms and fireworks sounds can be heard in the background. —

Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 3 July 2026 None of that sounds dramatic, but those details become important when a vehicle may eventually shuttle lots of people a day. —

Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026 If this neck cream sounds too good to be true, shoppers have no shortage of amazing feedback. —

Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 3 July 2026 There are easier ways to do things these days; computers and plug-ins could capture these sounds much quicker. —

Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 July 2026 Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a wearable audio system that converts nearby robot movements into dynamic warning sounds. —

Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 July 2026 Prove Your Claims With Evidence In a market flooded with AI capabilities, claims are cheap, and every launch sounds the same. —

Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 In that vacuum, an always-available chatbot that sounds calm, attentive, and nonjudgmental can feel less like a novelty than a lifeline. —

Ryan McBain, STAT, 2 July 2026

Noun

As a further precaution, consider adding background noise, like the TV or a white noise machine, to help muffle the sounds. —

Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 3 July 2026 Robots sound safer The wearable audio system converts nearby robot movements into dynamic warning sounds, helping workers anticipate robotic actions without interrupting their tasks. —

Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 July 2026 By the early 20th century, the nation’s regional sounds were being preserved in songbooks and on commercial and documentary recordings. —

Ted Olson, The Conversation, 2 July 2026 Gunshot sounds are sharper, according to a video by Pyrotechnician Mike Tockstein. —

Eva Flowe july 1, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2026 This chip enables advanced on-device AI for superior active noise cancellation, focusing on isolating human speech and handling dynamic sounds. —

Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Washington and his men had left the fort heading west toward the sounds of gunfire. —

Salena Zito, Washington Post, 1 July 2026 Available in pink or blue, the toy—which attaches to crib bars or can be situated near your child’s sleeping space—features a relaxing array of sounds, lights, and music, along with gentle motion, to encourage your darling to doze. —

Melissa Willets, Parents, 1 July 2026 Similar to jig rattles, accenting Texas rigs with a bead between the hook and weight produces fish-calling clicking sounds. —

David A. Brown, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sounds

Verb

And, as the country and its people begin to piece together the full toll of the destruction amid the rubble, the notion of playing baseball seems absurd in the wake of such tragedy.

— Liana Handler Follow, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
But Rhaenyra seems happy enough handing out bread and basking in the smallfolk’s love.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026

Definition of seems

Verb

For those determined to wrap an actual object, gifting experts say the trick is to avoid anything that merely announces its own price tag.

— Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026
Continue reading … RADICAL — DeSantis announces plans to use new state law to target dozens of alleged terrorist groups.

— , FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of announces

Verb

Ophelia’s Got Talent plumbs the depths of the nineteenth-century cult of Ophelia, epitomized in John Everett Millais’s famous painting of her watery death.

— Caroline Lillian Schopp, Artforum, 13 May 2026
As Latifi plumbs the industry, what stands out is just how manufactured this content is, and how often the children are being manipulated to perform.

— Kristen Martin, The Atlantic, 13 May 2026

Definition of plumbs

Verb

Dexter grapples with killing her, but Rudy eventually can’t handle Dexter’s hesitance and takes the knife into his own hands—and nearly plunges it into Debra’s chest before Dexter stops him.

— EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026
In six parts, The American Revolution, directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, plunges us into the momentous war that led to the nation’s founding.

— Matthew Carey, Deadline, 16 June 2026

Definition of plunges

Noun

Murdaugh’s team initially asked that he be allowed to come to all court appearances, including pretrial hearings, wearing civilian clothes and unshackled.

— Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
The Drug Enforcement Administration has begun hearings on its proposal to reclassify recreational cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the federal Controlled Substances Act.

— A.J. Herrington, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

Definition of hearings

Noun

Platforms and distribution channels captured most of the value, while creators focused on reach and frequency.

— Vincentas Grinius, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
The deal is aimed at ensuring that Fox has a means to get its portfolio of sports, news and entertainment channels into viewers’ homes as the traditional pay-TV business continues to erode.

— Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026