sound familiar

Meaning

To seem like something you have heard, seen, or experienced before. It is frequently used as a short question ('Does that sound familiar?') to check if someone recognizes a situation or name.

Examples

• Does the name John Smith sound familiar to you?

  Does the name John Smith sound familiar to you?

• That story sounds familiar; I think I read about it in the news.

  That story sounds familiar; I think I read about it in the news.

• His excuse about his car breaking down sounds familiar—didn't he say that last week?

  His excuse about his car breaking down sounds familiar—didn't he say that last week?

• If these symptoms sound familiar, you should consult a doctor.

  If these symptoms sound familiar, you should consult a doctor.

• Her voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite place where I'd met her.

  Her voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite place where I'd met her.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ Does this name sound family to you?

  ✓ Does this name sound familiar to you?

  Learners sometimes confuse 'family' (noun/adjective about relatives) with 'familiar' (adjective meaning well-known).

• ✗ The melody sounds familiarly.

  ✓ The melody sounds familiar.

  The verb 'sound' acts as a linking verb here, so it must be followed by an adjective ('familiar'), not an adverb ('familiarly').

Related Expressions

Practice

• He told me he worked at Google. Does that name ___?

  💡 Seem recognizable to you

  Show answer

  sound familiar

• A movie about a boy wizard? That certainly ___.

  💡 Seems like something I know

  Show answer

  sounds familiar