soundproof

American  

[sound-proof] / ˈsaʊndˌpruf /

adjective

1. impervious to sound.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cause to be soundproof.

soundproof British  

/ ˈsaʊndˌpruːf /

adjective

1. not penetrable by sound

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verb

1. (tr) to render soundproof

Other Word Forms

• soundproofing noun

Etymology

Origin of soundproof

First recorded in 1875–80; sound ¹ + -proof

Explanation

When you soundproof a room, you insulate it so that less noise can be heard outside it. A musician who records albums in her apartment might soundproof the room in which she keeps her drums. If you practice playing the bagpipes daily, you might want to soundproof your house so you won't bother your neighbors. Alternately, if you record books on tape in your bedroom, you could soundproof the room so that outside noises won't interfere with your work. You can also use soundproof as an adjective: "The party was in a soundproof room in the hotel, so we could turn the music up as loud as we wanted."

Example Sentences

Hill regularly uses the space for "super fast internet, soundproof phone booths, and bouncing ideas over coffee" between members.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

Each person sat in a soundproof room and focused on a fixed cross displayed on a screen.

From Science Daily • Dec. 23, 2025

In a nearby room with a 22-foot ceiling and black, soundproof walls, an even larger sphere with more than 140 cameras and several video cameras are used to capture full body scans, gear and costumes.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 14, 2025

Enrique works as an engineer and thinks it is "quite impossible to soundproof the stadium".

From BBC • May 30, 2025

The school was hushed around them, so hushed that Archie wondered whether the office was soundproof.

From "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier