noise
Americannoun
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noises
plural
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sound, especially of a loud, harsh, or confused kind.
deafening noises.
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a sound of any kind.
to hear a noise at the door.
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loud shouting, outcry, or clamor.
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a nonharmonious or discordant group of sounds.
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an electric disturbance in a communications system that interferes with or prevents reception of a signal or of information, as the buzz on a telephone or snow on a television screen.
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Informal. extraneous, irrelevant, or meaningless facts, information, statistics, etc..
The noise in the report obscured its useful information.
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Informal. rumor or gossip, especially slander.
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Informal. Usually noises a statement or utterance that hints at or expresses a feeling or intention, especially without action being taken: We’re hearing sympathetic noises from many countries, but haven't received any concrete offers of assistance.
There’s been some angry noise about the new curriculum. He’s making noises to the press about running for mayor.
We’re hearing sympathetic noises from many countries, but haven't received any concrete offers of assistance.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
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to talk much or publicly.
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to make a noise, outcry, or clamor.
noun
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a sound, esp one that is loud or disturbing
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loud shouting; clamour; din
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any undesired electrical disturbance in a circuit, degrading the useful information in a signal See also signal-to-noise ratio
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undesired or irrelevant elements in a visual image
removing noise from pictures
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talk or interest
noise about strikes
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(plural) conventional comments or sounds conveying a reaction, attitude, feeling, etc
she made sympathetic noises
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to talk a great deal or complain
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informal to give indications of one's intentions
the government is making noises about new social security arrangements
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theatre sounds made offstage intended for the ears of the audience: used as a stage direction
verb
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(tr; usually foll by abroad or about) to spread (news, gossip, etc)
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rare (intr) to talk loudly or at length
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rare (intr) to make a din or outcry; be noisy
Synonym Usage
Noise, clamor, din, hubbub, racket refer to unmusical or confused sounds. Noise is the general word and is applied equally to soft or loud, confused or inharmonious sounds: street noises. Clamor and hubbub are alike in referring to loud noises resulting from shouting, cries, animated or excited tones, and the like; but in clamor the emphasis is on the meaning of the shouting, and in hubbub the emphasis is on the confused mingling of sounds: the clamor of an angry crowd; His voice could be heard above the hubbub. Din suggests a loud, resonant noise, painful if long continued: the din of a boiler works. Racket suggests a loud, confused noise of the kind produced by clatter or percussion: He always makes a racket when he cleans up the dishes. See sound 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of noise
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin nausea “seasickness”; see origin at nausea
Explanation
A noise is any sound. Often, it means a sound people don't like, like the noise of traffic or a barking dog. When someone yells "What is that noise?!" you can be sure they're not happy about what they're hearing. They mean noise as anything too loud or annoying. When it comes to music, people often disagree on what's noise and what isn't. Your noise might be another person's lullaby. A car siren will wake you up, but some noises can be soothing. "White noise" is an electronically generated sound often used to help someone fall asleep.
Vocabulary lists containing noise
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.
See Examples For:
Rees told him that any concerns about data-center noise were overblown—the music in her bar is way louder and the cops are never called, she said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
For investors enthralled by soaring corporate profits, headlines about the painful consequences from climate change are largely just background noise, experts say.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
Universal Studios Hollywood appears to be taking steps to address noise complaints regarding its new high-speed, outdoor roller coaster.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
On top of the remains are rescuers and volunteers: "Silence! We are firefighters. If you can hear us, shout or make any noise."
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
He made a small, thoughtful noise in the back of his throat.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
Chief Financial Officer Anat Ashkenazi amped up the unease by making ominous noises about how long cash flow—long a pillar of strength for what had been asset-light, high-margin internet giants—would remain under pressure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
His team-mates privately made noises that, should everything fall in his favour, gold could be within reach.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
As a teenager I started to sing on street corners and I noticed that my voice was naturally potent — it could prevail over the traffic and the street noises.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
These noises do not serve a direct purpose.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026
Karli was leading Marlene by her trunk, making his usual clicking noises and telling her to gee up, just like he had always done with Tomi back on Uncle Manfred’s farm.
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
It increased the noised around the Dutchman at a time when he needed it least.
From BBC ● May 30, 2026
Jones tried it on last year and Scotland won at Twickenham, he noised them up again before the 2019 game and Jones' team blew a 31-0 lead.
From BBC ● Feb. 4, 2022
Sir Henry Simpson had previously allowed it to become noised about that the Duchess would not be delivered for another fortnight.
From Time Magazine Archive
Prodigies which were now noised about from various sources increased men's terror.
From Time Magazine Archive
It might get noised about that the Pontelliers had met with reverses, and were forced to conduct their ménage on a humbler scale than heretofore.
From "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin
The tour was just too nice until Skelton and Valetini started noising up the Lions and bringing their enormous physicality to proceedings.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2025
Musk’s approach to noising up his cars has also created some unexpected issues, like lithium-fueled flatulence.
From Slate ● Jun. 15, 2023
I started noising around that I was frantic to join ... the Japanese Army.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
Because the stars pointed that the end was nearing, the black brood came behind again, and followed, noising.
From The Were-Wolf by Laurence Housman
"There! they're noising now!" said the first voice, while a whimper or two came from far back in the wood.
From All on the Irish Shore Irish Sketches by E. Oe. (Edith Oenone) Somerville
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.
