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• echo
  echo

  noun

  a repetition of sound produced by the reflection of sound waves from a wall, mountain, or other obstructing surface.
• Echo
  Echo

  noun

  Greek myth a nymph who, spurned by Narcissus, pined away until only her voice remained

echo

American  

[ek-oh] / ˈɛk oʊ /

noun

• echoes
  plural

1. a repetition of sound produced by the reflection of sound waves from a wall, mountain, or other obstructing surface.

2. a sound heard again near its source after being reflected.

3. any repetition or close imitation, as of the ideas or opinions of another.

4. a person who reflects or imitates another.

5. a sympathetic or identical response, as to sentiments expressed.

6. a lingering trace or effect.

7. (initial capital letter) a mountain nymph who pined away for love of the beautiful youth Narcissus until only her voice remained.

8. Cards. the play of a high card and then a low card in the suit led by one's partner as a signal to continue leading the suit, as in bridge, or to lead a trump, as in whist.

9. Electronics. the reflection of a radio wave, as in radar or the like.

10. (initial capital letter) one of an early series of inflatable passive communications satellites.

11. a word used in communications to represent the letter E.

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verb (used without object)

• echoes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• echoed,
  past participle,  past
• echoing
  present participle

1. to emit an echo; resound with an echo.

   The hall echoed with cheers.

   Synonyms:

   reverberate, ring

2. to be repeated by or as by an echo.

   Shouts echoed through the street.

   Synonyms:

   reverberate, ring

verb (used with object)

• echoes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• echoed,
  past participle,  past
• echoing
  present participle

1. to repeat by or as by an echo; emit an echo of.

   The hall echoes the faintest sounds.

2. to repeat or imitate the words, sentiments, etc., of (a person).

3. to repeat or imitate (words, sentiments, etc.).

Echo ¹ British  

/ ˈɛkəʊ /

noun

1. Greek myth a nymph who, spurned by Narcissus, pined away until only her voice remained

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Echo ² British  

/ ˈɛkəʊ /

noun

1. communications code word for the letter e

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echo ³ British  

/ ˈɛkəʊ /

noun

1. 1. the reflection of sound or other radiation by a reflecting medium, esp a solid object

   2. the sound so reflected

2. a repetition or imitation, esp an unoriginal reproduction of another's opinions

3. something that evokes memories, esp of a particular style or era

4. (sometimes plural) an effect that continues after the original cause has disappeared; repercussion

   the echoes of the French Revolution

5. a person who copies another, esp one who obsequiously agrees with another's opinions

6. 1. the signal reflected by a radar target

   2. the trace produced by such a signal on a radar screen

7. the repetition of certain sounds or syllables in a verse line

8. the quiet repetition of a musical phrase

9. Also called: echo organ.   echo stop.  a manual or stop on an organ that controls a set of quiet pipes that give the illusion of sounding at a distance

10. an electronic effect in recorded music that adds vibration or resonance

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verb

1. to resound or cause to resound with an echo

   the cave echoed their shouts

2. (intr) (of sounds) to repeat or resound by echoes; reverberate

3. (tr) (of persons) to repeat (words, opinions, etc), in imitation, agreement, or flattery

4. (tr) (of things) to resemble or imitate (another style, earlier model, etc)

5. (tr) (of a computer) to display (a character) on the screen of a visual display unit as a response to receiving that character from a keyboard entry

Echo ⁴ British  

/ ˈɛkəʊ /

noun

1. either of two US passive communications satellites, the first of which was launched in 1960

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echo Scientific  

/ ĕk′ō /

1. A repeated sound that is caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface. The sound is heard more than once because of the time difference between the initial production of the sound waves and their return from the reflecting surface.

2. A wave that carries a signal and is reflected. Echoes of radio signals (carried by electromagnetic waves) are used in radar to detect the location or velocity of distant objects.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• echoer
  noun
• subecho
  noun
• outecho
  verb (used with object)
• echo-like
  adjective
• echoing
  adjective
• echoless
  adjective
• unechoed
  adjective
• unechoing
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• echoes
  plural

Participles

• echoing
  present
• echoed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• echo
  simple
• echoes
  simple
• have echoed
  perfect
• has echoed
  perfect
• am echoing
  progressive
• are echoing
  progressive
• is echoing
  progressive
• have been echoing
  perfect progressive
• has been echoing
  perfect progressive

Past

• echoed
  simple
• had echoed
  perfect
• was echoing
  progressive
• were echoing
  progressive
• had been echoing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will echo
  simple
• will have echoed
  perfect
• will be echoing
  progressive
• will have been echoing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of echo

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English ecco, from Latin ēchō, from Greek, akin to ēchḗ “sound”

Explanation

An echo is a repetition or imitation of sound. When sound waves hit a hard surface they might reflect, making the sound bounce and repeat. If you agree with someone, you might echo his or her statement. Poet Don Marquis said, “Writing a book of poetry is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo.” The word echo came from the Greek word for "sound." In Greek mythology, Echo was a nymph who could only repeat the last words of others. You were frightened when you thought someone was following you, until you realized you were only hearing the echo of your own footsteps.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

echo Echo echoes echoed echoing

The prize ceremony on Saturday wrapped up 10 days of often dark, disturbing programming that chief organiser Alberto Barbera had promised would echo the war-torn and anxiety-filled state of the world.

From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026

As adults, we begin to recognize them for what they are: traces of lives lived before us, of losses and experiences that continue to echo across generations.

From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2026

Caught in its own echo chamber, the industry’s playbook is failing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026

Hochman said he reads that echo as referring to two parts of delivering justice — the process and the result.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

I’d stand still and listen to the echo of my voice die away in the distance.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Which leads to Tommy’s last known address, Echo Canyon Farm, a seemingly whole-wheat commune with enough evil secrets to season an entire season.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

Venice's focus this year on mostly small, art-house films appears to fit the bill for Susan Sarandon, who is appearing in the Italian film "The Echo Chamber" from director Andrea Pallaoro.

From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026

After the Echo Mountain fire in 2020, Keller’s mother got nervous about her disabled son’s future.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

The Clare Echo, the town’s local newspaper, has reported that the ballroom won’t be approved by the time of the president’s visit.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026

Echo pointed toward the far shore of the island.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan

The sound of the phone ringing echoes through my car and then I hear Weintraub’s baritone.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

The outrage around the campaign echoes that provoked by American Eagle's "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans" campaign in 2025.

From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026

The relocation campaign echoes a tactic used by software giant Oracle Corp., co-founded by Ellison’s billionaire father, Larry Ellison.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

The production team unearthed reel-to-reel recordings of that performance more than 40 years ago, and they will be woven into the new production as his character listens back to echoes of his younger self.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

I turn and Zach’s already looking around, into the woods, the burned area—the scream echoes.

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz

Anthropic’s head of alignment science, Evan Hubinger, echoed that sentiment, posting on X that he sees a “greater than 10% chance” of AI eliminating humanity within the decade.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 19, 2026

In a statement released by the White House after the story was published, President Donald Trump echoed that.

From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026

That night, his comments were echoed by the leader of Anthropic’s team responsible for alignment, the key department meant to make sure AI does what humans intend—and doesn’t kill us all.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

Here he echoed the sentiment of United's most successful manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, who in 2017 said: "You have a duty to entertain. We have to always remember there's a public to be entertained."

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

The torturous ping of enemy sonar waves echoed relentlessly through the boat.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Residents told AFP on condition of anonymity that they had heard what sounded like a round of explosions echoing through the city after the alerts.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

Efforts to impose state-level regulations have been mixed, with critics echoing Johnson’s fears that they will stifle innovation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

From there it opens up, like a flower bud warming to summer, with acoustic guitar strumming, a gentle rhythm section and a gospel choir echoing with otherworldly lightness.

From Salon ● Aug. 29, 2026

On “American Dream,” Mr. Cockrell’s instrument has a slapback effect, as if he’s playing underwater, echoing the lyric’s description of feeling overwhelmed and weighted down by the state of the world.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

Together we walked across the echoing room, and I glanced up at the perfectly intact ceiling.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Related Words

• mirror
• parallel
• recall
• reflect
• reiterate
• resound
• respond
• reverberate
• ring