ambient

American  

[am-bee-uhnt] / ˈæm bi ənt /

adjective

1. of the surrounding area or environment: The temperature in the display case was 20° lower than the ambient temperature.

   Your voice mail picked up some ambient noise from airplanes and lawn mowers.

   The temperature in the display case was 20° lower than the ambient temperature.

2. completely surrounding; enveloping.

   Many pollutants are present in ambient air in relatively low concentrations.

3. creating a certain reaction or mood, often a subconscious one, by being wherever people tend to be.

   ambient advertising on a shopping cart.

4. pertaining to or noting sounds that create a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere.

   I stream ambient ocean sounds to help me fall asleep.

5. pertaining to or noting close and constant social contact and communication fostered by the internet or the use of digital devices.

   social media sites that enable ambient intimacy and awareness.

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noun

1. ambient music.

ambient British  

/ ˈæmbɪənt /

adjective

1. of or relating to the immediate surroundings

   the ambient temperature was 15°C

2. creating a relaxing atmosphere

   ambient music

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noun

1. informal ambient music

Other Word Forms

• unambient
  adjective
• unambiently
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of ambient

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin ambient- (stem of ambiēns, present participle of ambīre “to go around”), equivalent to amb- ambi- + -i- “go” + -ent- -ent

Explanation

Ambient is an adjective used to describe an aspect of the environment that completely surrounds you, but in a mellow way, like ambient music played softly throughout a restaurant, or the ambient orange glow during a setting sun. Ambient describes some pervasive quality of the surrounding environment, like the ambient lighting in a movie theater, or the ambient temperature of a room. Most times when you’re hearing silence, you’re hearing some ambient noises too, like the hum of a refrigerator or the whistle of a breeze. Usually ambient describes a quiet or peaceful quality, but it can be aggressive too, like the ambient drone of war planes flying above that you can hear no matter where you hide.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ambient

Social media has driven interest in these DIY events as artists playing ambient music against a backdrop of verdant green have gone viral on TikTok.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

The Typhur Sync Gold Quad, meanwhile, tracks several foods at once, plus the ambient temperature, so you can stop obsessively lifting the lid and enjoy the people gathered around the fire.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

Adjust your electronics and water heater: Turn off computers, TVs and lights when not in use to eliminate ambient heat.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026

"What we're seeing is ambient road temperatures at the height of the heat up in the 40s, and that causes the tar on the roads to melt."

From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026

Janice simply ignored them, directing us instead, figuring in her head the positions of the preachers, the crowd, Kwang, paletting their various skin tones into an ambient mix for the media.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

Related Words

• atmosphere
• environment
• feeling
• mood
• surroundings
• trend