noise

[ noiz ]

noun

1. sound, especially of a loud, harsh, or confused kind:

   deafening noises.

   Synonyms: tumult, uproar, blare, clatter

2. a sound of any kind:

   to hear a noise at the door.

3. loud shouting, outcry, or clamor.
4. a nonharmonious or discordant group of sounds.
5. an electric disturbance in a communications system that interferes with or prevents reception of a signal or of information, as the buzz on a telephone or snow on a television screen.
6. Informal. extraneous, irrelevant, or meaningless facts, information, statistics, etc.:

   The noise in the report obscured its useful information.

7. Informal. rumor or gossip, especially slander.
8. Usually noises. Informal. a statement or utterance that hints at or expresses a feeling or intention, especially without action being taken: We’re hearing sympathetic noises from many countries, but haven't received any concrete offers of assistance.

   There’s been some angry noise about the new curriculum. He’s making noises to the press about running for mayor.

   We’re hearing sympathetic noises from many countries, but haven't received any concrete offers of assistance.

verb (used with object)

, noised, nois·ing.

1. to spread, as a report or rumor; disseminate (usually followed by about or abroad ):

   A new scandal is being noised about.

verb (used without object)

, noised, nois·ing.

1. to talk much or publicly.
2. to make a noise, outcry, or clamor.

noise

/ nɔɪz /

noun

1. a sound, esp one that is loud or disturbing
2. loud shouting; clamour; din
3. any undesired electrical disturbance in a circuit, degrading the useful information in a signal See also signal-to-noise ratio
4. undesired or irrelevant elements in a visual image

   removing noise from pictures

5. talk or interest

   noise about strikes

6. plural conventional comments or sounds conveying a reaction, attitude, feeling, etc

   she made sympathetic noises

7. make a noise
   to talk a great deal or complain
8. make noises about informal.
   to give indications of one's intentions

   the government is making noises about new social security arrangements

9. noises off
   theatre sounds made offstage intended for the ears of the audience: used as a stage direction

verb

1. tr; usually foll by abroad or about to spread (news, gossip, etc)
2. rare.
   intr to talk loudly or at length
3. rare.
   intr to make a din or outcry; be noisy

Other Words From

• un·noised adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of noise¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin nausea “seasickness”; nausea

Word History and Origins

Origin of noise¹

C13: from Old French, from Latin: nausea

Synonym Study

Noise, clamor, din, hubbub, racket refer to unmusical or confused sounds. Noise is the general word and is applied equally to soft or loud, confused or inharmonious sounds: street noises. Clamor and hubbub are alike in referring to loud noises resulting from shouting, cries, animated or excited tones, and the like; but in clamor the emphasis is on the meaning of the shouting, and in hubbub the emphasis is on the confused mingling of sounds: the clamor of an angry crowd; His voice could be heard above the hubbub. Din suggests a loud, resonant noise, painful if long continued: the din of a boiler works. Racket suggests a loud, confused noise of the kind produced by clatter or percussion: He always makes a racket when he cleans up the dishes. See sound ¹.

Example Sentences

While Google has kept relatively quiet since then, IBM is making more noise about its business plans.

From Fortune

Nick Perham, at the Cardiff Metropolitan University in the UK, has researched background noise and office sounds.

From MIT Technology Review

He was surprised they’d even heard him because of all the noise.

From Voice of San Diego

First, the mass deployment of language models like GPT-3 has the potential to flood the Internet, including online interactions on social media, with noise.

From Nautilus

Bricker said the company may be paying bills without questioning them because it doesn’t “want to create any noise” by saying no at a time its own earnings are so high, Bricker said.

From ProPublica

The sound of birds, quail, even doe, make a wild grid of noise.

From The Daily Beast

The “rooty toot toot” is simply the noise the horns make, while “rummy tum tum” is the drums.

From The Daily Beast

That is a lot of air pollution, noise, and yet more kicking up of dust.

From The Daily Beast

For aesthetic reasons, ski resort operators try to limit the noise and infrastructure associated with producing power.

From The Daily Beast

Equipped with sensors, the benches will be able to provide data on weather conditions, noise, and air quality.

From The Daily Beast

The noise of his slumbers culminated in a sudden, choking grunt, and abruptly ceased.

From Project Gutenberg

Drowned every few seconds by our tremendous salvoes, this more nervous noise crept back insistently into our ears in the interval.

From Project Gutenberg

The riches of the unjust shall be dried up like a river, and shall pass away with a noise like a great thunder in rain.

From Project Gutenberg

The offspring of the ungodly shall not bring forth many branches, and make a noise as unclean roots upon the top of a rock.

From Project Gutenberg

The noise of the hammer is always in his ears, and his eye is upon the pattern of the vessel he maketh.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• blast
• buzz
• cacophony
• clamor
• commotion
• crash
• cry
• explosion
• roar
• turbulence