white noise

noun

1

a

: a heterogeneous mixture of sound waves extending over a wide frequency range compare pink noise

b

: a constant background noise

especially : one that drowns out other sounds

2

: meaningless or distracting commotion, hubbub, or chatter

the white noise of policy and politics in America

—Joseph Nocera

Examples of white noise in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Even on the highest setting, noise was not an issue (closer to ambient white noise than anything irritating). —Samson McDougall, Health, 18 June 2024

And people spent a whopping 3 million hours daily listening to white noise podcasts on Spotify, according to a Bloomberg report. —Emilee Coblentz, USA TODAY, 30 Apr. 2024

That might include putting your phone in another room, hanging up blackout curtains to block annoying light, and playing calming sounds on a white noise machine. —Angela Haupt, TIME, 14 June 2024

Depending on the number of insects, this can sound like white noise, an eerie ambient soundtrack or be completely overwhelming. —Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 7 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

white noise

noun

1

: an even mixture of sound waves extending over a wide frequency range

2

: a constant background noise

especially : one that drowns out other sounds

Medical Definition

white noise

noun

: a heterogeneous mixture of sound waves extending over a wide frequency range that has been used to mask out unwanted noise interfering with sleep

called also white sound