sonic

adjective

son·​ic ˈsä-nik How to pronounce sonic (audio)
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)
sonically adverb

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 The sonic ‘boom’ could become a ‘soft thump’ NASA’s goal in developing the X-59 is to reduce the sonic boom — the thunder clap that resonates far and wide when an aircraft crosses the sound barrier. Monica Rodman, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024 The stock exchange, the largest in the world by market capitalization, has opened with sonic fanfare for more than 150 years. Krystal Hur, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024 While utilizing authentic Japanese instruments, the music takes a very modern approach that applies today’s technology and advanced sonic manipulation in ways that were impossible four decades ago. Jon Burlingame, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024 What places Clark in that tradition is not his formalism but rather his sonic imagination. Cat Cardenas, Rolling Stone, 14 Mar. 2024 Both those records feel starkly different to me in terms of a sonic experience. Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 13 Mar. 2024 Beyond the sonic legacies of these stars, their album covers and music videos have been master classes on Black beauty. Shelby Stewart, Essence, 12 Mar. 2024 So the sonic engineer and his team at D’Agostino Master Audio Systems reworked technologies from their Relentless and Momentum Series separates to create a benchmark all-in-one solution. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 10 Mar. 2024 Users can even select between different digital filters via downloadable firmware which offers a certain amount of sonic customization. Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sonic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1918, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sonic was in 1918

Dictionary Entries Near sonic

Cite this Entry

“Sonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sonic. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sonic

adjective
son·​ic ˈsän-ik How to pronounce sonic (audio)
: using, produced by, or relating to sound waves

Medical Definition

sonic

adjective
son·​ic ˈsän-ik How to pronounce sonic (audio)
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
sonically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on sonic

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