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

Its standout artifacts include Voltaire’s custom-designed gilded armchair, equipped with a writing desk and drawers, and a re-creation of the bedroom of Marcel Proust, including a piece of his famously cork-lined, soundproof walls.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

Initial findings from an investigation suggest the fire began as sparklers attached to champagne bottles ignited soundproof foam that lined the ceiling of the bar's basement.

From BBC • Feb. 1, 2026

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

From Science Daily • Dec. 23, 2025

He was whisked into a soundproof “spa suite,” where the founder, Paul Leonard, and master stylist, Yanko Hernandez, prepared the ingredients for his treatments.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 21, 2025

I was trapped in a black hole, stuck in a soundproof bubble sealed away from the rest of the universe.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas