Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

sound bite

American  

noun

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

sound bite British  

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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.

Etymology

Origin of sound bite

First recorded in 1985–90

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.

North pointed to the adage that “it takes a minute to say a sound bite, but an hour to explain why it is false.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 20, 2025

Actress Lesley Ann Warren, who received an Oscar nomination for her role in the film version, gets a sound bite with her insightful comment about the film’s depiction of gender.

From Salon • Aug. 27, 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

She was asked to give a sound bite on this idea but just couldn’t do it.

From Slate • Jun. 17, 2023

What is a jingle but a sound bite applied to commerce?

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

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.