sounder

¹ American  

[soun-der] / ˈsaʊn dər /

noun

1. a person or thing that makes a sound or noise, or sounds sound something.

2. Telegraphy. an instrument for receiving telegraphic impulses that emits the sounds sound from which the message is read.

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sounder ² American  

[soun-der] / ˈsaʊn dər /

noun

1. a person or thing that sounds sound depth, as of water.

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sounder ¹ British  

/ ˈsaʊndə /

noun

1. an electromagnetic device formerly used in telegraphy to convert electric signals sent over wires into audible sounds

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sounder ² British  

/ ˈsaʊndə /

noun

1. a person or device that measures the depth of water, etc

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Etymology

Origin of sounder¹

First recorded in 1585–95; sound ¹ + -er ¹

Origin of sounder²

First recorded in 1565–75; sound ³ + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Now, the eurozone economy is on a sounder footing and inflation has been around the ECB's target for some time, she stressed.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

It is a communal means toward “a kind of self-sustenance that was an ancient wealth sounder than dollars.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 23, 2025

A productive clay-court swing, taking her to the Madrid and Rome finals, meant she arrived in Paris considered a sounder bet than defending champion Swiatek.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2025

“Democracies are sounder when the reason why some lose does not rest on the fact that they are invisible to those who make decisions,” Verba wrote.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2025

He was sounder than he had been in two years.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand