“Noise” vs. “Sound”: What’s the Difference?

A line illustration of two people with their mouth open, and a giant question mark between them.

The difference between “noise” and “sound”

  • Sound is a form of energy that is intentionally or unintentionally created, while noise is typically an unintended byproduct.
  • Sound can be either desired or undesired, while noises are usually considered annoying or harmful.
  • Sound can be controlled or manipulated for specific purposes, while noise can be difficult to reduce or eliminate.
Communicate naturally with Engram AI proofreader

What is the definition of “noise” and “sound”?

Noise
  • Noise is typically an unwanted or unpleasant sound.
  • It can be described as chaotic or unpredictable in nature.
  • Noise can cause psychological harm to humans and animals.
Sound
  • Sound refers to vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard by the ear.
  • Sound is often used for communication, enjoyment, and alerting purposes.
  • Sound can also be measured and analyzed for scientific and technological advancements.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

“Sound” is the more popular variant on the web.
Noise
827,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. The noise from the construction site next door woke me up at 6 am.
  2. The constant noise from his snoring made it hard for me to fall asleep.
  3. I had to wear noise-canceling headphones to concentrate while studying in the noisy library.
More popular
Sound
1,980,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. The sound of birds chirping in the morning always puts me in a good mood.
  2. The sound of raindrops hitting the roof is soothing to me.
  3. The sound of the crowd cheering at the sports game was deafening.
Want to express yourself confidently?
Engram AI proofreader helps you
communicate naturally
An illustration of a person writing freely on their laptop, using Engram.An illustration of a person writing freely on their laptop, using Engram.

Related articles