Snoring vs Jet Engine: Which Is Louder?
A jet engine at takeoff is around 140 dB — vastly louder than any snoring ever recorded. Even the Guinness World Record for loudest snoring (111.6 dB) is orders of magnitude quieter than a jet engine.
Typical Snoring
60 dB
50–60 dB range
Jet Engine
140 dB
130–150 dB
Decibels are logarithmic: every +10 dB is roughly twice as loud to the human ear.
How loud is a jet engine, really?
A jet engine measures 130–150 dB at 30 meters during takeoff. It's above the human pain threshold (about 120 dB) and can cause immediate hearing damage without protection. It's the standard 'as loud as it gets in everyday life' reference point.
The decibel math
The gap is enormous. Each 10 dB roughly doubles perceived loudness, so a 140 dB jet engine sounds about 8× louder than the world-record 111.6 dB snoring — and roughly 256× louder than average 60 dB snoring. No human snoring comes anywhere close.
Drag to find your snoring's twin
Move the slider through the decibel range and see which everyday sound matches your snoring — and where you fit compared to other adults.
Your snoring sounds like
Normal conversation (60 dB)
Audible
Around conversation level — clearly noticeable in the room.
Compared to reported averages
Within the typical adult snoring range
Commonly reported adult snoring averages roughly 50–60 dB.
We don't publish a percentile ranking — we have no measured dataset of adult snorers to base one on.
Everyday sound ladder
- 🤫Whisper20 dB
- 📚Quiet library30 dB
- 🧊Refrigerator hum45 dB
- 🌦️Light rain55 dB
- 💬Normal conversation60 dB
- 🧹Vacuum cleaner70 dB
- 🌀Garbage disposal80 dB
- 🚜Lawnmower90 dB
- 🏍️Motorcycle100 dB
- 🪚Chainsaw (world record)111 dB
Educational comparison — not a medical diagnosis. Persistent loud snoring should be discussed with a clinician.
When snoring beats a jet engine
Snoring never wins this comparison. Even the loudest snoring on record (111.6 dB) is well below a jet engine. If someone tells you your snoring is 'like a jet engine,' they mean it's shockingly loud — not literally 140 dB. It's usually shorthand for snoring in the 80–100 dB range.
Where snoring sits on the decibel scale
| Decibels | Snoring level | Sounds like | Impact on your partner | Acoustic level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40–49 dB | Very light | Quiet library, soft rainfall | Barely noticed by most partners | Quiet |
| 50–59 dB | Light / social | Soft conversation, refrigerator hum | Background noise — light sleepers may stir | Quiet |
| 60–64 dB | Moderate | Normal conversation, dishwasher | Regularly disrupts a partner in the same bed | Audible |
| 65–74 dB | Loud | Vacuum cleaner, busy restaurant | Hard to sleep through without earplugs | Audible |
| 75–84 dB | Very loud | City traffic, garbage disposal | Audible through a closed bedroom door | Very loud |
| 85–94 dB | Extreme | Lawnmower, motorcycle at 8 m | Partner usually moves to another room | Extreme |
| 95+ dB | Record territory | Chainsaw, jackhammer | Heard from other floors of the house | Extreme |
Decibel ranges are measured roughly 1 metre from the sleeper. These are acoustic descriptions of sound only — loudness on its own cannot indicate a medical condition.
What this means for your health
Jet-engine-level snoring is impossible. But snoring described that way is almost always in the 85–100 dB range — which is clinically significant. At that level, obstructive sleep apnea is very likely, and getting a proper sleep evaluation is the right next step.
How loud is your snoring?
Stop guessing where you fall on the scale. Record overnight with SnapSnoreScore — free, and 100% local to your device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can snoring ever be as loud as a jet engine?+
No. Jet engines measure 130–150 dB at takeoff, well above the human pain threshold. The loudest snoring ever documented is 111.6 dB — impressive, but nowhere near a jet engine.
How many decibels is a jet engine?+
A commercial jet engine measures 130–150 dB at 30 meters during takeoff, and 120–130 dB inside the cabin during flight. At the source, it can exceed 160 dB — well above the point of immediate hearing damage.
What's the loudest snoring ever recorded?+
The Guinness World Record for loudest snoring is 111.6 dB, set by Kåre Walkert of Sweden — comparable to a chainsaw at close range, but still far below a jet engine.
If my partner says my snoring sounds like a jet engine, what do they really mean?+
They almost certainly mean snoring in the 85–100 dB range — which is clinically significant and strongly associated with obstructive sleep apnea. It warrants a sleep evaluation, even if it isn't literally 140 dB.