sound
gb/sˈaʊnd/ us/sˈaʊnd/
A1
English
~ 1100
hang, megszólaltat, megszólal, hangzik, megbízható, stabil, ép, tengerszoros
NOUN
A1
1
hang
A1
Usage pattern:
the sound of [something]
The sound of rain helps me sleep.
Az eső hangja segít elaludni.
I heard a strange sound coming from the kitchen.
Furcsa hangot hallottam a konyhából.
The sound of the guitar filled the room.
Traffic sounds kept her awake all night.
Learner examples
I hear a sound outside.
Hangot hallok odakint.
The dog makes a loud sound.
A kutya hangos hangot ad ki.
Music is a kind of sound.
The baby likes the sound of her mother's voice.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'sound' with 'voice'; 'voice' refers specifically to the sounds made by a person when speaking or singing.
Meaning
Audible vibrations in air
Collocations
loud sound
|strange sound
|background sound
|sound waves
|sound quality
Synonyms
noise (Often refers to unwanted or unpleasant sound, while 'sound' is neutral.)
Antonyms
silence (The complete absence of sound.)
Themes
science
|daily life
|music
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Something you can hear, made by vibrations moving through the air or water.
Vibrations that travel through air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a person's or animal's ear.
VERB
A2
2
megszólaltat
B1
megszólal
B1
Usage pattern:
sound [an alarm/a horn]
Please sound the alarm if you see smoke.
Kérlek, szólaltasd meg a riasztót, ha füstöt látsz.
The referee sounded the whistle to end the game.
A játékvezető megfújta a sípot, hogy véget vessen a mérkőzésnek.
They sounded the horn to warn the pedestrians.
Learner examples
The teacher sounds the bell at 9 a.m.
A tanár reggel 9-kor megszólaltatja a csengőt.
He sounds the horn before driving away.
Elindulás előtt dudál.
We sound the alarm when there is danger.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'sound' as a verb with 'play' for musical instruments; 'sound' focuses on producing noise, not performing music.
Meaning
Make a noise or signal
Collocations
sound the alarm
|sound the horn
|sound a warning
Synonyms
ring (Specifically refers to the noise made by bells or phones, while 'sound' is more general.)
Antonyms
silence (To stop or prevent a noise from happening.)
Themes
daily life
|safety
|communication
|daily_life
Definition
To make a noise, or to make something give a signal by noise.
To make a particular noise or cause something to make a noise, often as a signal or alarm.
VERB
A2
3
hangzik
B1
Usage pattern:
sound [adjective]
You sound tired—did you sleep well?
Fáradtnak hangzol – jól aludtál?
That sounds like a great idea!
Ez remek ötletnek hangzik!
He sounded angry on the phone.
Learner examples
You sound happy today.
Ma boldognak hangzol.
That story sounds funny.
Az a történet viccesnek hangzik.
She sounds sad now.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'sound' with nouns incorrectly; it must be followed by an adjective in this sense ('You sound happy', not 'You sound happiness').
Meaning
Seem in a way when heard
Collocations
sound good
|sound interesting
|sound angry
Synonyms
seem ('Seem' is more general; 'sound' refers specifically to impressions from hearing words or tones.)
Antonyms
appear ('Appear' relates more to visual impressions, not auditory ones.)
Themes
communication
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To seem in a certain way from what is said or heard.
To give a particular impression based on what is heard or how something is described.
B1
4
Usage pattern:
a sound [structure/plan/idea]
The bridge is structurally sound.
A híd szerkezetileg stabil.
She gave me some sound advice.
Megbízható tanácsot adott nekem.
They made a sound investment in renewable energy.
Learner examples
This house is sound and safe.
Ez a ház stabil és biztonságos.
He gave me sound help.
Megbízható segítséget nyújtott nekem.
Our plan is sound.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this meaning with 'healthy'; while related, 'sound' here applies to things and ideas as well as people.
Meaning
In good condition; undamaged
Collocations
sound advice
|sound structure
|sound investment
Synonyms
solid ('Solid' can mean physically hard or dependable; 'sound' focuses on reliability and lack of faults.)
Antonyms
weak (Not strong or reliable.)
Themes
construction
|business
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Definition
Strong, safe, and without damage or mistakes.
In good condition and not damaged, weak, or faulty.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
5
tengerszoros
B2
They sailed through the sound to reach the open sea.
Áthajóztak a tengerszoroson, hogy kijussanak a nyílt tengerre.
Puget Sound is known for its beautiful scenery.
A Puget-szoros gyönyörű tájairól ismert.
The ship anchored in the calm waters of the sound.
Learner examples
We sailed across the sound.
Áthajóztunk a tengerszoroson.
The sound is between two islands.
A tengerszoros két sziget között húzódik.
Fish live in the sound.
Meaning
Narrow stretch of waterway
Collocations
Puget Sound
|Long Island Sound
Synonyms
strait ('Strait' is more common internationally; 'sound' is used in specific geographic names.)
Themes
geography
|nature
|travel
Definition
A narrow area of sea between two pieces of land.
A long, narrow stretch of water between two larger bodies of water or between an island and the mainland.
Grammar
Dictionary form
sound
IPA
GB/sˈaʊnd/
US/sˈaʊnd/
Syllables & stress
sound (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (sound)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: sound
- Comparative: sounder
- Superlative: soundest
Noun
- Base: sound
- Plural: sound, sounds
Verb
- Base: sound
- 3rd Person Singular: sounds
- Present Participle: sounding
- Past: sounded
Word family
Forms
sounds
noun
sounding
verb
sounded
verb
sounder
adjective
soundest
adjective
Related words
soundtrack
noun B1
soundproof
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
soundless
adjective
Advanced or less common
soundlessly
adverb
Expressions
make a sound
1/mˈeɪk ə sˈaʊnd/
fixed phrase
Produce any noise at all
To make any kind of noise.
Examples
- She didn’t make a sound during the movie.
- The baby suddenly made a loud sound.
sound like
1/sˈaʊnd lˈaɪk/
fixed phrase
Give impression when heard
To seem in a certain way from what is heard or said.
Examples
- You sound like you're having fun.
- That sounds like a great plan!
sound off
1/sˈaʊnd ˈɔf/
phrasal verb
informal
Express opinion loudly/forcefully
To talk loudly about your opinions, often complaining.
Examples
- He was sounding off about the new rules again.
- She sounded off on social media about the poor service.
sound out
1/sˈaʊnd ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
Check someone's opinion indirectly
To ask someone carefully about something to learn what they think before you decide.
Examples
- We need to sound out the staff before changing the schedule.
- She sounded him out about joining the project.
safe and sound
1/sˈeɪf ˈænd sˈaʊnd/
fixed phrase
Unharmed after danger or risk
Not hurt or damaged after something dangerous happened.
Examples
- After the long journey, we arrived home safe and sound.
- The missing hikers were found safe and sound.
safe and sound
2/sˈeɪf ˈænd sˈaʊnd/
fixed phrase
Unharmed after danger or trouble
Not hurt and okay after being in danger.
Examples
- They arrived home safe and sound after the storm.
- The missing child was found safe and sound.