The ocean or rain sounds block out noise from whatever is going on in the rest of the house. (theinspiredroom.net)
You're probably not going to fully block out the noise of an office — but having some familiar happy songs playing gently in your ear will help you be less annoyed by it. (creativeboom.com)
If you live in a city, for example, white noise could help block out noises associated with traffic. (healthline.com)