sound off

verb

sounded off; sounding off; sounds off

intransitive verb

1
: to play three chords before and after marching up and down a line of troops during a ceremonial parade or formal guard mount
2
: to count cadence while marching
3
a
: to speak up in a loud voice
b
: to voice one's opinions freely and vigorously

Examples of sound off in a Sentence

she never missed a chance to sound off about the latest “stupid” political decisions the guard captain commanded each sentry to sound off
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.
Weber sounded off on aging during the July 14 episode of Steve Kmetko’s Still Here Hollywood podcast. Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 15 July 2025 Trump has previously sounded off on Brazil over its treatment of Bolsonaro, a vocal ally of the U.S. president who is standing trial over his role in an alleged coup to overturn his 2022 reelection loss. Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 9 July 2025 Tennessean readers sound off on the size of local government, property tax increases and distrust in the media regarding Biden's health decline. Laura L. Davis, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 Suddenly, the TikTok page’s comment section was filled with viewers sounding off on everything from if the level of attention on LaR’iyah is excessive to if the dance moves are appropriate for a 4-year-old. Rachel Hale, USA Today, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for sound off

Word History

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sound off was in 1909

Cite this Entry

“Sound off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sound%20off. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

sound off

verb
1
: to count while marching
2
: to voice one's opinions freely with force
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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