loudness

[loud-nis]

noun

1. exceptional volume or intensity of sound; the fact or quality of being strongly audible.

   From the hallway they could hear his voice enter the conversation, with an abrupt loudness that made them exchange glances.

2. the fact or characteristic of making, emitting, or uttering a strongly audible sound.

   Pressing a harpsichord key harder or softer had no effect on the instrument's loudness.

3. clamorous, vociferous, or blatant character; noisiness.

   This student movement against school uniforms has taken on a tendency toward obnoxious loudness.

4. emphatic or insistent quality.

   The loudness of protests by some members of the G7 resulted in the clause being dropped from the convention.

5. garish, conspicuous, or ostentatious quality, as of colors, dress, or the person wearing them.

   A certain loudness in the colors and cut of his clothing was tempered by natural taste.

6. obtrusive or vulgar character, as of a person or their behavior.

   Their flushed faces and general loudness of manner were proof that they had been drinking.

Other Word Forms

• overloudness noun

Example Sentences

Even though consumer complaints plummeted, the FCC said in recent years the commission had received thousands of complaints from viewers who remained “frustrated by the loudness of television commercials.”

From Los Angeles Times

Despite quotes from Dodger players and executives stating how “great” the loudness at Dodger Stadium is, they are putting the paying customers and employees at risk for hearing loss with the excessive volume.

From Los Angeles Times

Mitchell’s John contends with that loudness and insistent inhumanity without having previous exposure to it online or on his mobile phone, which is the same Nokia Lucy gifted him 20 years ago.

From Salon

It has been well documented that a song's volume, or loudness, over time -- what's known as "amplitude modulation" -- is relatively steady at 1-2 Hz.

From Science Daily

The sounds were kept at a moderate volume of 65 decibels—about the same loudness as a conversation in a bar or city traffic—and they couldn’t be heard by the parent birds.

From Science Magazine

Related Words

• accent 
• harmony 
• melody 
• music 
• noise 
• note 
• tone 
• vibration 
• voice