sound bite

American  

noun

1. a brief, striking remark or statement excerpted from an audiotape or videotape for insertion in a broadcast news story.

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sound bite British  

noun

1. a short pithy sentence or phrase extracted from a longer speech for use on radio or television

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sound bite Idioms  

1. A short, striking, quotable statement well suited to a television news program. For example, He's extremely good at sound bites, but a really substantive speech is beyond him. This slangy expression, first recorded in 1980, originated in political campaigns in which candidates tried to get across a particular message or get publicity by having it picked up in newscasts.

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Etymology

Origin of sound bite

First recorded in 1985–90

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sound bite

But it’s also a show with a sound bite archive spanning decades which includes such hits as “Jane, you ignorant slut,” from a late-’70s “Weekend Update” sketch starring Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin.

From Salon ● Oct. 14, 2026

“INAROW62” opens with a “Scott Pilgrim” sound bite, continuing a reference point Díaz previously explored on the “Sayonara” track “Ramona Flowers” — named after the titular character’s edgy female love interest.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026

And it was a sound bite that outraged Bill Ackman, leading him to amplify it repeatedly.

From Slate ● Jan. 10, 2024

"An empty slogan won't pay decent wages, false promises won't build secure homes, and a sound bite won't empower local people and local communities to take control of their futures."

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2023

But the sound bite won’t let me forget it.

From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King

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Related Words

• blurb
• clip
• excerpt
• one-liner
• quotation
• slogan
• snippet

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