decibel
noun
-bəl
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The unit for measuring the relative intensities of sound is called a decibel. Because the decibel scale is logarithmic, a sound with an intensity that is twice that of a reference sound corresponds to an increase of little more than 3 decibels. In common practice, the reference point of 0 decibel is set at the intensity of the least perceptible sound, the threshold of hearing. On such a scale a 10-decibel sound is 10 times the intensity of the reference sound; a 20-decibel sound is 100 times the reference intensity, and so on. Normal conversation is usually around 60 decibels, an electric saw around 100 decibels, and amplified rock music around 120 decibels.
Examples of decibel in a Sentence
Simon Hill, Wired News, 5 June 2025
Loop Quiet 2 Earplugs Loop Earplugs work by reducing sound by up to 24 decibels.
—Jeaneen Russell, People.com, 2 June 2025
Inside the building, chants to fire the team's president of basketball operations, Nico Harrison, reached a deafening decibel.
—Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
With the faithful at Chase Stadium already rattled, the Whitecaps quickly lowered the decibel level even more, save for the 300-plus Vancouver fans who made the trip.
—Jeff Rueter, New York Times, 1 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Decibel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decibel. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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decibel
noun
Medical Definition
decibel
noun
-ˌbel
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