How to Use sonar in a Sentence

sonar

noun
  • They detected the submarine by using sonar.
  • Echo sounders can use sonar to gauge the size of krill swarms.
    — Ed Yong, The Atlantic, 3 Nov. 2021
  • Crews used drones, boats and sonar equipment in their search.
    — Fox News, 15 Dec. 2019
  • That is why ships employ sonar rather than radar to plumb the briny depths.
    — The Economist, 17 Oct. 2020
  • This allows for a new look at the objects inside the sonar beam.
    — Chad Morgenthaler, Outdoor Life, 8 Aug. 2024
  • As the fish swam out, the scientists also kept tabs on them via sonar.
    — Douglas Main, Animals, 18 Dec. 2020
  • That means no forward-facing sonar or side imaging.
    — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Orcas use sound to search for prey much the way a bat uses sonar in the pitch black of the night sky.
    — The Seattle Times, 19 May 2019
  • The search took place on land, sea and air, and was done by foot and with drones and sonar, Sult said.
    — Madeline Holcombe and Deanna Hackney, CNN, 29 June 2019
  • Firefighters used search dogs, drones, sonar in their search, Pruitt said.
    — Vic Ryckaert, Indianapolis Star, 22 June 2018
  • The ridges of the mountain are rugged — full of troughs and valleys that can hinder sonar.
    — Julie Cohn, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Aug. 2019
  • For those who may not know, forward-facing sonar is all the rage these days in the fishing world.
    — Matt Williams, Dallas News, 11 Nov. 2022
  • The wide sonar beam works like a lawn mower, going back and forth over an area to get a full picture.
    — Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle, 25 Mar. 2023
  • That is the shape the Ralstons usually look for with their sonar.
    — Krista Stevens, Longreads, 10 Aug. 2020
  • The vessels deploy helicopters and sea drones that use lasers and sonar to find mines.
    — Aidan Stretch, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
  • These self-guide weapons use active and passive sonar to strike targets more than 5 miles away.
    — Alex Hollings, Popular Mechanics, 5 Apr. 2023
  • So the stealth sonar might simply be part of a larger tactic to keep rival males out of earshot.
    — Roni Dengler, Science | AAAS, 1 May 2018
  • The sheriff’s office said a drone and sonar are being used to help search for Allen.
    — oregonlive, 1 Sep. 2019
  • Bruce’s Legacy used sonar to help locate the remains.
    — Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Once the holes are cut, focus your attention on your sonar unit to find fish and trigger strikes.
    — Outdoor Life, 17 Jan. 2020
  • One new episode, for example, relied on sonar that is used to find things deep under the ocean.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 13 July 2022
  • Banning forward-facing sonar at certain times of the year?
    — Mike McFeely, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Rescue teams searched the area for days using helicopters, drones, sonar, and dogs.
    — Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 21 Mar. 2023
  • But fog and rough surf meant that a helicopter and boats with sonar were unable to take part in the search this morning.
    — Christopher Harress, AL.com, 26 Mar. 2018
  • Pay attention to your sonar and side-Imaging to reveal groups of fish.
    — Jeff Gustafson, Outdoor Life, 6 Jan. 2021
  • Search and rescue teams utilized sonar and thermal imaging equipment to aid in the search.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 16 June 2026
  • Another islander ventured to the spot and scanned the bottom with sonar.
    — Earl Swift, Outside Online, 20 June 2018
  • Instead, the city had to bring in sonar equipment to locate it, Trantalis said.
    — Larry Barszewski, sun-sentinel.com, 3 Aug. 2019
  • Divers used sonar to search the lake, which is about 30 feet deep where the man was last seen, but have not recovered his body.
    — Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 24 July 2023
  • On the final dive of the trip, the scanning sonar detected a large object on the bottom.
    — Crispin T. S. Little, Scientific American, 23 May 2017

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sonar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: