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Decibel chart › 140 dB
How loud is 140 decibels?
140 decibels is about as loud as a jet engine at takeoff, firecrackers, a fireworks show. That is far above the 85 dB hearing-risk line: there is no safe exposure time at all, and even a brief moment can harm hearing. On the decibel scale, each 10 dB step sounds roughly twice as loud. Measure it yourself with Decibel Shield's free online decibel meter.
Last updated:
| Sound level | 140 dB |
|---|---|
| Hearing risk | Extreme |
| Safe exposure (NIOSH) | Unsafe at any duration |
| Workplace limit (OSHA) | 15 min or less a day (OSHA noise limits) |
What is comparable to 140 decibels?
Everyday examples of sounds around 140 decibels, each sourced to CDC, NIOSH, NIDCD and ASHA. Open any one for its own breakdown, or see the full decibel levels chart.
- Jet engine at takeoff 140 dB
- Firecrackers 140–150 dB
- Fireworks show 140–160 dB
- Gunshot 140–165 dB
Is any city as loud as 140 dB?
No city averages 140 dB. That is a sound-source level, not an ambient one. The loudest mapped cities peak around 70–75 dB by day. These are the loudest mapped.
- Orange, CA 4.4% of residents at 70 dBA or more
- Terni 55–75 dB by day
- Hastings 55–75 dB by day
What does 140 decibels sound like?
140 decibels is about as loud as a jet engine at takeoff, firecrackers, a fireworks show. That is far above the 85 dB hearing-risk line: there is no safe exposure time at all, and even a brief moment can harm hearing. On the decibel scale, each 10 dB step sounds roughly twice as loud. Measure it yourself with Decibel Shield's free online decibel meter.
Is 140 decibels too loud?
Yes, 140 decibels is loud, about the loudness of a jet engine at takeoff, at or above the 85 dB line, so prolonged exposure can damage hearing and ear protection is recommended.
How long is 140 decibels safe to hear?
At 140 dB there is no safe daily exposure at all — it can harm hearing almost instantly, so hearing protection is essential.
How far away can you hear 140 dB?
In open air a small source measured at 140 dB from 1 m falls to about 120 dB at 10 m and 100 dB at 100 m, losing 6 dB each time the distance doubles. You keep hearing it while it stays above the background level around you: farther in a quiet field at night, much less on a 60 dB street. Walls, ground and wind change the figure.
Work out any distance, or a line source such as a road, with the sound distance calculator.
Measure 140 dB yourself
Want to know if where you are hits 140 dB? Check it live with the free online decibel meter — it runs in your browser, and nothing is recorded or uploaded.
