soun: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very HighAll registers: formal, informal, technical.
Quick answer
What does “soun” mean?
To seem or give the impression of being something.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To seem or give the impression of being something; also, to measure depth; and as an adjective, in good condition or based on reason.
Also refers to vibrations perceived by hearing, a narrow stretch of water, and the process of investigating something (e.g., a person's opinion).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal differences in core meanings. In nautical/geographical contexts, names of specific sounds (e.g., 'Long Island Sound', 'Puget Sound') are more common in US usage due to geography.
Connotations
Adjective 'sound' (as in 'sound advice') is slightly more formal in both varieties but equally used. 'Sound asleep' is common in both.
Frequency
All core meanings are frequent in both dialects. The verb meaning 'to measure depth' is less common in everyday speech.
Grammar
How to Use “soun” in a Sentence
sound + ADJECTIVE (He sounds happy.)sound like + NOUN/PHRASE (It sounds like an engine.)sound + as if/though + CLAUSE (It sounds as if you're tired.)sound + OBJECT (to sound the alarm)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “soun” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The proposal sounds rather dodgy to me.
- They'll sound out the committee on the issue.
- A foghorn sounded in the distance.
American English
- Your plan sounds awesome!
- He sounded the alarm immediately.
- We should sound out the investors first.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"The company's finances are sound." (Adjective: financially healthy)
Academic
"The argument is theoretically sound." (Adjective: logically valid)
Everyday
"That sounds like a great idea!" (Verb: to give an impression)
Technical
"The device uses sonar to sound the ocean floor." (Verb: to measure depth)
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “soun”
- Incorrect: He sounds happily. Correct: He sounds happy. (Followed by adjective, not adverb).
- Incorrect: It sounds a good idea. Correct: It sounds like a good idea. (Requires 'like' or 'as if' before a noun phrase in this sense).
- Confusing 'sound' (verb) with 'voice' (noun).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be all three. Context determines its part of speech (e.g., 'a loud sound' [noun], 'you sound tired' [verb], 'a sound investment' [adjective]).
They are often interchangeable when followed by a clause ('It sounds like/as if it's raining'). 'Sound like' is more common and can be followed by a noun ('It sounds like rain'), while 'sound as if' cannot.
Here, 'sound' is an adverb from the adjective meaning 'healthy, robust, undisturbed'. So 'sound asleep' means sleeping in a deep, undisturbed, and healthy way.
Yes. As a verb, 'to sound off' means to complain loudly. As an adjective, 'unsound' means not healthy, weak, or flawed (e.g., 'unsound mind', 'unsound argument').
To seem or give the impression of being something.
Soun is usually all registers: formal, informal, technical. in register.
Soun: in British English it is pronounced /saʊnd/, and in American English it is pronounced /saʊnd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “safe and sound”
- “sound the death knell”
- “sound off (about something)”
- “sound as a bell”
- “within sound of”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
SOUND has many meanings, but they all connect to being complete or whole: a SOUND body is healthy, SOUND advice is complete in logic, and to SOUND out is to try to get the complete picture.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOUND IS A CONTAINER (of meaning/health): "His reasoning is sound." (It is complete, nothing is missing). HEARING IS UNDERSTANDING: "I like the sound of that plan."
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'I will sound the retreat', what does 'sound' mean?