What does sounding mean?
Sounding is an adjective and a verb form meaning that something produces a sound or creates a particular impression. In its most common figurative use, a sounding argument, explanation, or theory is one that appears logically convincing, credible, or likely to be correct. The word can also describe a noise, voice, or musical note that is powerful, resonant, or difficult to ignore. Its use often suggests that something impresses the listener, although this impression may be temporary and does not guarantee that the underlying claim is true. Sounding is also used in technical contexts, especially navigation, for measurements of depth. In general, it is a flexible word that moves easily between literal descriptions of sound and figurative judgments about convincing ideas.
Producing a noticeable or specified sound; in figurative use, giving the impression of being convincing, serious, or reliable.
"She offered a sounding reason for changing the schedule."
The figurative sense is usually approving but can be neutral or qualified depending on context.
The present participle of sound, used with auxiliary verbs in continuous tenses or by itself to mean producing a sound or causing something to be heard.
"The bell was sounding when the storm began."
When used as a participle, sounding describes an action or sound occurring at the time referred to.
A measurement of sound intensity, especially a measurement of the depth of water obtained by sounding.
"The crew took soundings to determine the depth beneath the ship."
The noun is usually used in the plural, soundings, and is chiefly a technical term.
Used mainly in the plural, especially for measurements taken to determine the depth of water or for an assessment of a situation.
"The captain ordered soundings to be taken in the shallow water."
A sounding argument persuades by its logic; a resonant voice persuades by its tone.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sounding come from?
The word is formed from the established English word sound. The noise-related sense of sound came through Middle English and Old French from Latin sonus, meaning sound or noise, while the separate sense meaning healthy, solid, or free from error has Germanic ancestry. Sounding developed directly from the verb sound and the related adjective, with figurative meanings emerging from the idea of something being impressive or credible.
Related word forms
How sounding is actually used
When used figuratively, sounding is usually positive but can be qualified by words such as less, less convincing, or highly. The noun sense is mainly associated with navigation and measuring depths.
Easily confused with sounding
Sounding describes something that gives a particular impression or produces a sound, while sounded is the simple past tense and past participle of sound.
Sound can mean noise, a healthy or solid condition, or to cause something to be heard, whereas sounding is normally an adjective or the present participle of sound.