noise

Sound that bothers you or makes it hard to hear, think, or rest.

• The noise kept me awake.
• Please stop making so much noise.
• We complained about the noise from the building work.

Similar words: racket, din

Opposites: silence

Common phrases: make noise, traffic noise, too much noise

Something you can hear, especially a single sound whose cause may be unclear.

• I heard a noise upstairs.
• The machine made a soft clicking noise.
• What was that noise behind the door?

Similar words: sound

Common phrases: a strange noise, hear a noise, a clicking noise

Complaints or talk about something that attract attention.

• The decision caused plenty of noise.
• Residents made noise about the new parking charges.
• Most of the noise came from unhappy customers.

How to use it: noise about something (There is a lot of noise about the proposed cuts.)

Similar words: fuss, complaints, rumours

Common phrases: make noise about, political noise, noise over something

To tell many people news or a story, often one that may not be true.

• They noised the story abroad.
• Her plans were soon noised about the village.
• It was noised abroad that the king had fallen ill.

How to use it: be noised abroad (The news of his departure was soon noised abroad.); be noised about (A strange story was being noised about the town.)

Similar words: spread, circulate

Common phrases: noise something abroad, noise something about