sonic
Americanadjective
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of or relating to sound.
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noting or pertaining to a speed equal to that of sound in air at the same height above sea level.
adjective
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of, involving, or producing sound
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having a speed about equal to that of sound in air: 331 metres per second (741 miles per hour) at 0°C
Other Word Forms
- multisonic adjective
Etymology
Origin of sonic
Compare meaning
How does sonic compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
The adjective sonic means related to audible sound or to the speed of sound waves. If something goes faster than the speed of sound, it creates a sonic boom, a shock wave that sounds like an explosion. The adjective sonic was coined in the 1920s, from the Latin sonus, or "sound." Ever since, it's been used not only to describe things relating to sound, but also things that travel as fast as sound. The Sonic fast food chain originally advertised "Service With the Speed of Sound." A super-fast Japanese express train is called Sonic. And the Sonic the Hedgehog video games feature a speedy main character.
Vocabulary lists containing sonic
Common Senses: Son ("Sound")
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Lend Me Your Ears: Sound Words
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My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich
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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.
So on his new record, “Octane,” the Houston rapper recenters his car obsession and turns to his need for speed as sonic inspiration.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
“Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally” is a wild, unpredictable ride, chock-full of sonic sound and fury.
From Salon • Mar. 6, 2026
Lindsay said the explosion from a missile intercepted above the hotel they were staying in, The Palm near Jebel Ali Port, sounded like a sonic boom.
From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026
Keith Richards’s first sonic memory was a siren.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026
The blade begins to pick up speed, releasing sonic booms as it flies.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
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.
