View synonyms for

white noise

[wahyt noiz, hwahyt]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Also called broadband noise.��Physics.��a noise signal with a uniform frequency spectrum over a wide range of frequencies.
Also called white sound.��Informal.��any steady, unobtrusive sound or pattern of sounds recorded from nature or produced electronically and used to mask unwanted noise or fill a discomforting silence.
You can program the machine to play ocean waves, a rainforest, a thunderstorm, or whatever white noise helps you to relax.

white noise

noun

1. sound or electrical noise that has a relatively wide continuous range of frequencies of uniform intensity
2. noise containing all frequencies rising in level by six decibels every octave

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Word History and Origins

Origin of white noise¹

First recorded in 1965–70

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

And I’m sure there’s plenty of people where it might just be white noise to them — like, “Skip — I don’t need this.”

From

"I really think it is white noise around what is a huge, energetic movement now, Reform, coming across the country and coming for the other two parties," she told the BBC.

From

It’s pleasurable to experience—a white noise machine of human suffering....

From

Occasionally the studio will play white noise to help exercisers focus.

From

It fizzes with white noise punctuated by short bursts of music and words.

From

whitening white oak

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