Phrase guide

sound out

verb · 5 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.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To question and listen attentively in order to discover a person's opinion, intent, or preference, especially by using indirect conversational remarks.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To pronounce a word or phrase by articulating each of its letters or syllables slowly in sequence.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To speak or sing loudly, to call out.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

try to learn someone's opinions and intentions

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I have to sound out the new professor

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: check out, feel out

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: question, query

5

verb

Meaning 5

speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She pronounces French words in a funny way
  • I cannot say `zip wire'
  • Can the child sound out this complicated word?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pronounce, articulate, enounce, enunciate, say

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: twang, devoice, raise, lilt, palatalize, palatalise, nasalize, nasalise, mispronounce, misspeak, aspirate, voice, sound, vocalize, vocalise, retroflex, subvocalize, subvocalise, syllabize, syllabise, drawl, round, labialize, labialise, lisp, stress, accent, accentuate, vowelize, vowelise, click, trill, sibilate, flap, explode, roll

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: sondar — to question and listen attentively to discover a person's opinion
  • German: aushorchen — to question and listen attentively to discover a person's opinion
  • Ido: presavigar — to question and listen attentively to discover a person's opinion
  • Vietnamese: thăm dò — to question and listen attentively to discover a person's opinion
  • German: artikulieren — to pronounce a word or phrase by articulating each of its letters
  • German: aussprechen — to pronounce a word or phrase by articulating each of its letters
  • Polish: wybrzmiewać — to pronounce a word or phrase by articulating each of its letters
  • Polish: wybrzmieć — to pronounce a word or phrase by articulating each of its letters
  • Vietnamese: ráp vần — to pronounce a word or phrase by articulating each of its letters
  • German: anstimmen — to speak or sing loudly
  • Vietnamese: kêu vang — to speak or sing loudly