Standard Lemma guide

loudness

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Strength of sound: how loud it is.

The perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure, measured in sones or phons.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: volume

Antonyms: quietness, silence

2

noun

Meaning 2

Strength of sound: how loud it is.

The physical strength of the sound pressure level, measured in decibels.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: volume

Antonyms: quietness, silence

3

noun

Meaning 3

tasteless showiness

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: flashiness, garishness, gaudiness, brashness, meretriciousness, tawdriness, glitz

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: tastelessness

4

noun

Meaning 4

the magnitude of sound (usually in a specified direction)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the kids played their music at full volume

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: volume, intensity

Antonyms: softness

Broader terms: sound property

Narrower terms: crescendo, forte, fortissimo

History

Etymology

From Middle English loudnesse, lowdenesse, from Old English hlūdnes, equivalent to loud + -ness.

Across languages

Translations

29 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: hlasitost — perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure
  • Finnish: äänekkyys — perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure
  • German: Lautheit — perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure
  • German: Lautstärkepegel — perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure
  • German: Lautstärke — perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure
  • Hungarian: hangosság — perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure
  • Ido: lauteso — perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure
  • Japanese: 喧騒 (kensō) — perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure
  • Latvian: skaļums — perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure
  • Polish: głośność — perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure
  • Russian: гро́мкость (grómkostʹ) — perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure
  • Spanish: sonoridad — perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure
  • Spanish: estrepitez — perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure
  • Spanish: intensidad sónica — perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure
  • Spanish: intensidad acústica — perceptual strength or amplitude of sound pressure
  • Finnish: äänenvoimakkuus — the physical strength of the sound pressure level
  • French: bruyance — the physical strength of the sound pressure level
  • German: Schalldruckpegel — the physical strength of the sound pressure level
  • Hungarian: hangnyomásszint — the physical strength of the sound pressure level
  • Ido: lauteso — the physical strength of the sound pressure level
  • Japanese: 音量 (onryō) — the physical strength of the sound pressure level
  • Latvian: skaļums — the physical strength of the sound pressure level
  • Polish: głośność — the physical strength of the sound pressure level
  • Russian: гро́мкость (grómkostʹ) — the physical strength of the sound pressure level
  • Spanish: volumen — the physical strength of the sound pressure level
  • Spanish: sonoridad — the physical strength of the sound pressure level
  • Spanish: estrepitez — the physical strength of the sound pressure level
  • Spanish: intensidad sónica — the physical strength of the sound pressure level
  • Spanish: intensidad acústica — the physical strength of the sound pressure level
Real reading context

loudness in complete knowledge articles