sound effect

American

[sound i-fekt] / ˈsaʊnd ɪˌfɛkt /

noun

any sound, other than music or speech, artificially reproduced to create an effect in a dramatic presentation, as the sound of a storm or a creaking door. SFX

sound effect British

noun

any sound artificially produced, reproduced from a recording, etc, to create a theatrical effect, such as the bringing together of two halves of a hollow coconut shell to simulate a horse's gallop; used in plays, films, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of sound effect

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The action is punctuated by booming sound effects — canned applause, the “wah-wah” of a sad trombone and a hyperactive electronic buzzer, among them — coming from a trigger-happy soundboard operator behind the coffee counter.

From Los Angeles Times

“It had to be a sound that would stay in the mind of the audience,” Panahi explains, noting he went through several different sound effects until landing on the right mechanical squeal.

From Los Angeles Times

At that point, sound effects beep to signal the start of a new game.

From The Wall Street Journal

There are few scenic accouterments other than some fabulously eerie lighting, suspenseful sound effects and heavy-handed underscoring.

From Los Angeles Times

Early last month, a new model of the tool was released that can generate videos with speech, sound effects and ambient sounds, marking another advancement in the company’s AI efforts.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023