acoustic

1 of 2

adjective

acous·​tic ə-ˈkü-stik How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
variants or acoustical
ə-ˈkü-sti-kəl How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
Synonyms of acoustic
1
: of or relating to the sense or organs of hearing, to sound, or to the science of sounds
acoustic apparatus of the ear
acoustic energy
: such as
a
: deadening or absorbing sound
acoustic tile
b
: operated by or utilizing sound waves
2
: of, relating to, or being a musical instrument whose sound is not electronically modified
acoustically
ə-ˈkü-sti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
adverb

acoustic

2 of 2

variant of acoustics

Synonyms of acoustic

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Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of acoustic in a Sentence

Adjective the acoustic properties of a room She loves listening to acoustic folk music. an acoustic performance of a rock-and-roll song
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The ballad finds Fontaines’ Grian Chatten and Rosalía trading lines over a moody acoustic strum that repeatedly swells with strings and clattering drums. — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026 So strong was the Chicks’ commercial pull that their 2002 album Home—a trend-averse acoustic bluegrass album essentially recorded in secret—became a gargantuan hit, with two of its songs reaching the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. — Shaad D’souza, Pitchfork, 11 Oct. 2026 In recent years, business has also benefited from factors outside the company’s control, like a country music resurgence boosting the sale of acoustic guitars and Taylor Swift inspiring more young women to take up the instrument. — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026 The two women also sang harmonies on those two songs on Bridgers’ album, but this acoustic performance provides a much more intimate listen to their vocal interplay. — Chris Willman, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for acoustic

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

acoustic borrowed from Medieval Latin acousticus, acūsticus, borrowed from Greek akoustikós, from akoustós "heard, audible" (verbal adjective of akoúein "to hear," going back to Indo-European *h2kou̯s-) + -ikos -ic entry 1; acoustical from acoustic + -al entry 1 — more at hear

First Known Use

Adjective

1635, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of acoustic was in 1635

Phrases Containing acoustic

Rhymes for acoustic

See All Rhymes for acoustic

Browse Nearby Words

acousmatic
acoustic
acoustical feedback
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Acoustic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acoustic. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

acoustic

adjective
acous·​tic ə-ˈkü-stik How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
variants or acoustical
-sti-kəl How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
1
: of or relating to the sense or organs of hearing, to sound, or to the science of sounds: as
a
: deadening or absorbing sound
b
: operated by or using sound waves
2
: of, relating to, or being a musical instrument whose sound is not electronically modified
acoustic guitar
acoustically
-sti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
adverb

Medical Definition

acoustic

adjective
acous·​tic ə-ˈkü-stik How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
variants or acoustical
-sti-kəl How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
: of or relating to the sense or organs of hearing, to sound, or to the science of sounds
acoustic apparatus of the ear
acoustic energy
: as
a
: deadening or absorbing sound
acoustic tile
b
: operated by or utilizing sound waves
acoustically
-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
adverb
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