acoustics
Americannoun
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(used with a singular verb) the branch of physics that deals with sound and sound waves.
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(used with a plural verb) the qualities or characteristics of a room, auditorium, stadium, etc., that determine the audibility or fidelity of sounds in it.
noun
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(functioning as singular) the scientific study of sound and sound waves
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(functioning as plural) the characteristics of a room, auditorium, etc, that determine the fidelity with which sound can be heard within it
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The scientific study of sound and its transmission.
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The total effect of sound, especially as produced in an enclosed space.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of acoustics
Explanation
If you choose to study sound, your field of expertise would be called acoustics. Once you get your degree, you might be hired by concert halls to improve the acoustics, or how sound carries through the room. Changing the acoustics of a room can be as simple as adding carpeting or curtains, as materials absorb sound waves. When you go to a fancy restaurant, look around. You might see decorative fabric panels on the walls. These acoustic panels don't just make the room look good, they make it so that you can hear your neighbor, but not the fellow across the room.
Vocabulary lists containing acoustics
List 5
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Theater - Middle School
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Theater - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In some, I couldn't hear the coroner through the noise of a busy train line, or because of poor acoustics in a vast room; in others, rooms became so hot that regular breaks were required.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Peterson had already played there many times by 1960, and he and his manager-producer, Norman Granz, realized that with its comparatively small space and excellent acoustics Baker’s was perfect for a live recording.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026
The structure possesses a double power: phenomenal acoustics and, with its sheer beauty, the ability to trick us into thinking the chapel choir is better than it is.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026
There’s also an indoor pool, which Joel had covered up so he could use the space as a music room, because of its excellent acoustics.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 9, 2025
The music reflects off the walls, reminding everyone that this place was not built for the acoustics.
From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
