He didn't really mean it, but his request sounded more gracious put that way.

Somehow her request did not sound right.

The request sounded as though it had been torn from the man's soul with white-hot pincers.

Only afterwards did she realize how foolish her request sounded.

He considered asking for the feather back but knew the request would sound foolish.

Maybe her request sounded foolish, but the prospect of facing Robert after everything that had happened between them was disturbing.

Funny, her request had sounded like anything but a come-on.

Now, the requests sound more like: Please get it done, if you can.

Though phrased as a question, the request sounded very much like an order.

Officials of the racing association said that the Governor's request for a meeting sounded exploratory and not confrontational.