Word
loudness
Phoneticsloud·ness
UK/lˈaʊdnəs/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. the amount of sound that something makes. It describes how strong or powerful a sound feels to your ears.
n. the subjective perception of sound pressure, typically measured in decibels. Refers to the physical intensity or volume of an auditory signal.
Examples
“The loudness of the music woke the neighbors.”
“The sound engineer adjusted the loudness of the vocals to ensure they were not drowned out by the drums.”
“While the physical amplitude of a wave is measurable, loudness remains a psychological attribute that varies depending on the frequency of the sound and the listener's hearing sensitivity.”
Examples
simple
“The loudness of the music woke the neighbors.”
contextual
“The sound engineer adjusted the loudness of the vocals to ensure they were not drowned out by the drums.”
complex
“While the physical amplitude of a wave is measurable, loudness remains a psychological attribute that varies depending on the frequency of the sound and the listener's hearing sensitivity.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “loudness” in context.
Verb
01. adjust loudness
“You can use the remote control to adjust the loudness of the television.”
verb + noun
02. increase loudness
“The speaker began to increase the loudness of his voice to be heard over the crowd.”
verb + noun
03. loudness increases
“As you get closer to the stage, the loudness increases significantly.”
noun + verb
04. loudness varies
“The loudness varies throughout the song, moving from soft piano to heavy drums.”
noun + verb
05. measure loudness
“Scientists use decibels to measure the loudness of different environments.”
verb + noun
06. reduce loudness
“New regulations were introduced to reduce the loudness of traffic in the city center.”
verb + noun
Adjective
07. excessive loudness
“The neighbors complained about the excessive loudness of the music.”
adj + noun
08. perceived loudness
“The perceived loudness of a sound can change depending on the room's acoustics.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. control of loudness
“The device allows for precise control of loudness across all frequencies.”
noun + prep + noun
10. level of loudness
“The level of loudness in the factory was high enough to require ear protection.”
noun + prep + noun
11. maintain a constant loudness
“The software helps to maintain a constant loudness across different audio tracks.”
12. reach a peak of loudness
“The symphony reached a peak of loudness during the final movement.”
Usage
Often used with 'of' to describe a specific sound source.
Real-World Examples
“Most ordinances correlate punishable noise with loudness, though if you’ve ever tried to sleep through a dripping faucet, you know that something can be quiet and still drive you up the wall.” “Streaming services are usually set so that every music track appears to be equally loud. This means that if a music track is overly compressed while it is being recorded, to make it seem louder, once it is passed through the streaming service, the loudness advantage will be gone, and all that would be left is the nasty distortion.” Etymology
From Middle English loudnesse, lowdenesse, from Old English hlūdnes, equivalent to loud + -ness.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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