soundtrack
gb/sˈaʊndtɹˌæk/ us/sˈaʊndtɹˌæk/
B1
English
~ 6600
filmzene, zene, filmzenealbum, soundtrack, hangsáv, audiósáv, kísér, aláfest
NOUN
B1
1
Usage pattern:
the soundtrack to/for [a film/show/game]
The soundtrack for that movie is full of classic rock songs.
Annak a filmnek a zenéje tele van klasszikus rockszámokkal.
She loved the series mainly because of its haunting soundtrack.
Főleg a kísérteties hangulatú zenéje miatt szerette a sorozatot.
The video game’s soundtrack was recorded with a full orchestra.
He won an award for composing the soundtrack to the documentary.
They released a new trailer featuring an updated soundtrack.
Learner examples
The film has a very beautiful soundtrack.
A filmnek nagyon szép zenéje van.
I listen to the soundtrack from that game when I study.
Tanulás közben annak a játéknak a zenéjét hallgatom.
The soundtrack makes the scary scenes more exciting.
This TV show is famous for its jazz soundtrack.
Who wrote the soundtrack for this movie?
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "soundtrack" with "sound system" or "speakers". A soundtrack is the music itself, not the equipment that plays it. They may also mix up "soundtrack" and "score": the score is usually just the background instrumental music, while the soundtrack often includes both songs and score.
Meaning
music for a film or show
Collocations
film soundtrack
|movie soundtrack
|TV soundtrack
|video game soundtrack
|original soundtrack
|soundtrack album
Synonyms
score (Usually refers only to the composed background music, not to songs with lyrics.)
|
film music (Broader, informal term; does not strongly suggest an official collection.)
Antonyms
silence (Represents the absence of music or sound where a soundtrack would normally be heard.)
Themes
entertainment
|music
|media
|arts_entertainment
Definition
The music you hear in a film, TV show, or game, including songs and background music.
The collection of songs and musical score used in a film, TV show, video game, or similar production.
NOUN
B1
2
Usage pattern:
to buy/listen to/download the soundtrack to [a film/show/game]
I bought the soundtrack after seeing the movie in the cinema.
Miután láttam a filmet a moziban, megvettem a filmzenét.
The film’s soundtrack topped the charts for weeks.
A filmhez kiadott filmzene hetekig vezette a slágerlistákat.
They reissued the classic soundtrack on vinyl for its 20th anniversary.
Her favorite song from the show isn’t included on the official soundtrack.
The game’s soundtrack is available to stream on all major platforms.
Learner examples
He bought the soundtrack on his way home.
Hazafelé megvette a filmzenét.
This soundtrack is my favorite album this year.
Ez a filmzene az idei kedvenc albumom.
You can listen to the soundtrack on Spotify.
She got the movie soundtrack for her birthday.
The soundtrack has ten songs from the film.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "soundtrack" only for music inside the film and forget it can also mean the album sold separately. They may also say *"music CD of the film"* instead of the more natural "the film soundtrack" or "the movie’s soundtrack".
Meaning
album of film or game music
Collocations
buy the soundtrack
|best-selling soundtrack
|soundtrack album
|download the soundtrack
|soundtrack release
|soundtrack on vinyl
Synonyms
album (More general; does not specify that the music is from a film or show.)
|
soundtrack album (A more explicit phrase for this exact concept, often used in marketing.)
Themes
entertainment
|music
|media
|arts_entertainment
|technology
Definition
An album you can buy or stream that has the music from a film, TV show, or game.
A commercially released album that contains the music from a particular film, TV show, video game, or similar production.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
3
Usage pattern:
to edit/replace/mix the soundtrack of [a film/video]
The restoration team cleaned up the soundtrack to remove background hiss.
A restaurálócsapat megtisztította a hangsávot, hogy eltávolítsa a háttérsistergést.
They decided to replace the original soundtrack with a new dub.
Úgy döntöttek, hogy az eredeti hangsávot új szinkronra cserélik.
A glitch in the file caused the soundtrack to fall out of sync with the image.
The director wanted the soundtrack to feel as realistic as possible, with layered street noise and dialogue.
Engineers spent weeks remixing the soundtrack for the surround-sound release.
Learner examples
The old movie has a very noisy soundtrack.
A régi film hangsávja nagyon zajos.
The soundtrack is not in sync with the picture.
A hangsáv nincs szinkronban a képpel.
They fixed the soundtrack in the studio.
The new version has a clearer soundtrack.
The soundtrack was recorded again for better sound.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that in technical film language, "soundtrack" can mean all sound, not just music. This can be confusing when reading about editing or restoration, where "soundtrack" includes dialogue and effects.
Meaning
complete audio track of a film
Collocations
edit the soundtrack
|replace the soundtrack
|soundtrack mixing
|soundtrack editor
|restore the original soundtrack
|soundtrack and picture
Synonyms
audio track (More general technical term; not limited to films but used similarly in editing contexts.)
Antonyms
picture (In film and video, the visual part is often called the picture, contrasted with the soundtrack.)
Themes
media
|technology
|arts_entertainment
|communication
Definition
All the sound in a film or video together, including voices, music, and noise.
The complete audio portion of a film, TV program, or video, including dialogue, music, and sound effects, treated as a single track or element.
VERB
C1
4
Usage pattern:
to soundtrack [a film/scene/event/life]
The documentary is soundtracked by minimalist piano pieces.
A dokumentumfilmet minimalista zongoradarabok kísérik.
A mix of 90s pop songs soundtracks the entire film.
Kilencvenes évekbeli popdalokból álló válogatás kíséri végig az egész filmet.
Her teenage years were soundtracked by angry rock music.
The commercial is soundtracked with an upbeat electronic track.
The opening montage is soundtracked by a slow, haunting melody.
Learner examples
The movie is soundtracked by soft piano music.
A filmet lágy zongorazene kíséri.
Loud rock music soundtracks the car chase.
Hangos rockzene kíséri az autós üldözést.
His summer was soundtracked by that one hit song.
The scene is soundtracked with slow jazz.
A famous band soundtracks the new game.
Common mistake:
Learners may not recognize "soundtrack" as a verb and think forms like "soundtracked" are errors. It is most common in creative or journalistic writing and usually takes an object that is a film, scene, or period of life, not a person directly.
Meaning
provide music for film or events
Collocations
soundtrack a film
|soundtracked by
|soundtrack her life
|soundtrack the scene
|soundtrack the ad
Synonyms
score (As a verb, more formal and technical; usually refers to composing music specifically for a film.)
|
accompany (More general verb for going together with; does not specifically mean providing music.)
Antonyms
mute (To remove or turn off sound, the opposite of adding sound or music.)
Themes
music
|media
|arts_entertainment
|communication
|technology
Definition
To give music to go with a film, scene, or part of someone’s life.
To supply or accompany something, especially a film, scene, or period of time, with music or other audio.
Grammar
Dictionary form
soundtrack
IPA
GB/sˈaʊndtɹˌæk/
US/sˈaʊndtɹˌæk/
Syllables & stress
soundtrack (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (soundtrack)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: soundtrack
- Plural: soundtracks
Verb
- Base: soundtrack
- 3rd Person Singular: soundtracks
- Present Participle: soundtracking
- Past: soundtracked
- Past Participle: soundtracked
Word family
Expressions
official soundtrack
1/əfˈɪʃəl sˈaʊndtɹˌæk/
fixed phrase
authorized soundtrack release
The soundtrack album that is approved and released by the people who own the film or music.
Examples
- The official soundtrack will be released next month.
- This playlist is not the official soundtrack; it’s just fan-made.
- The official soundtrack includes all the main themes from the series.
on the soundtrack
1/ˈɔn ðə sˈaʊndtɹˌæk/
fixed phrase
included on the soundtrack album
Included as a song or piece on the official soundtrack album.
Examples
- That song plays in the movie, but it’s not on the soundtrack.
- Is this version of the theme song on the soundtrack?
- The bonus track is only on the soundtrack, not in the film.
original soundtrack
1/ɚˈɪd͡ʒənəl sˈaʊndtɹˌæk/
fixed phrase
first official film music release
The official set of music from a film, show, or game, usually released as an album.
Examples
- The original soundtrack was released a week before the movie.
- Fans are still waiting for the original soundtrack to come out on vinyl.
- He collected original soundtracks from all his favorite anime series.
soundtrack album
1/sˈaʊndtɹˌæk ˈælbəm/
fixed phrase
album of film or TV music
An album that has the songs and music from a film, show, or game.
Examples
- The soundtrack album includes three new songs by the band.
- She bought the soundtrack album as soon as she left the cinema.
- The soundtrack album became more popular than the film itself.
the soundtrack of my life
1/ðə sˈaʊndtɹˌæk əv mˈaɪ lˈaɪf/
idiom
music that represents a life
Songs or music that feel like they describe or go with your life and memories.
Examples
- That album is basically the soundtrack of my life.
- These songs are the soundtrack of my life; they remind me of every big moment.
- He said 90s hip-hop was the soundtrack of his life.