resounding
Americanadjective
-
making an echoing sound.
a resounding thud.
-
uttered loudly.
resounding speech.
-
impressively thorough or complete.
a resounding popular success.
adjective
-
clear and emphatic; unmistakable
a resounding vote of confidence
-
full of or characterized by resonance; reverberating
a resounding slap
Other Word Forms
- resoundingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of resounding
late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at resound, -ing 2
Explanation
Resounding describes something obvious or unambiguous. If it's clear that every single guest had a wonderful time, you can call your party a resounding success. Use this adjective to emphasize how great (or terrible) something is, like your best friend's resounding victory in the student council election, or the resounding disaster of your plan to carpet your bedroom using moss. It's also useful for describing a sound that echoes or reverberates: "The resounding slam of her bedroom door told me my sister was really angry." The Latin root means "echo."
Vocabulary lists containing resounding
Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution
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Woodsong
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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.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Magyar on his "resounding victory", pledging to work with the country's new leadership.
From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026
Although unconventional, snow farming was a resounding success for both resorts.
From Slate • Apr. 11, 2026
England got a send-off all right, resounding boos greeting the final whistle before the players went around applauding thousands of empty red seats and the few fans who had bothered to stay.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
With the Legislature’s resounding absence on the issue, we have to rely on courts.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026
He left office in March of 1797 with the resounding cheers of his huge army of supporters and the howls of that much smaller pack of critics echoing in his ears.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
