ambient.

1. Present in or belonging to the immediate surroundings.

2. Relating to a style of music emphasizing sustained textures and atmosphere rather than prominent melody or rhythm.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• ambient light
• ambient noise

On the page

Ambient light from the station windows softened the bare walls.

The ambient noise fell away when the ventilation stopped.

Usage notes

Primary category: setting. Forms: Comparative more ambient; superlative most ambient where gradation is meaningful. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings.