ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sounding

n. · adj.
US //ˈsaʊndɪŋ// UK //sˈaʊndɪŋ// sound·ing
  1. 1 checking opinions (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    an attempt to find out what people think about a plan or idea before making a final decision.

    the process of eliciting opinions or information from a group to gauge potential reactions to a proposal. Often used in the plural form 'soundings'.

    Example

    The government took soundings from local business leaders before changing the tax laws.

    Example

    After taking initial soundings among the board members, the CEO decided to postpone the merger until the following fiscal year.

    Usage

    Commonly appears in the phrase 'to take soundings'.
  2. 2 measuring water depth (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Science

    a measurement of how deep a body of water is, usually taken from a ship.

    the action or process of measuring the depth of water, typically using a line and lead or electronic equipment.

    Example

    The crew took a sounding to make sure the water was deep enough for the ship to pass.

    Example

    Precise sonar soundings revealed a previously uncharted trench on the ocean floor, measuring several kilometres in length.
  3. 3 making a sound (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    making a specific type of noise or having a particular quality of voice.

    producing or emitting a sound; often used in compound adjectives to describe the quality of a noise.

    Example

    The grand, hollow-sounding room made every footstep seem very loud.

    Example

    He delivered a professional-sounding presentation that masked his lack of actual experience in the field.
Etymology 1

From sound (“produce a sound”) + -ing.

Etymology 2

From sound (“examine with the instrument called a sound, or by auscultation or percussion”) + -ing.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 20, 2026