A theoretical analysis of the propagation of the coherent, or average, acoustic wave in a turbulent medium is presented. The analysis is based on the smoothing method developed by Keller and others. The dispersion equation is derived for a statistically homogeneous medium for three special cases: waves in a fluid at rest with density and temperature fluctuations, high‐frequency waves in a fluid in turbulent motion, and waves in an isentropic irrotational turbulent flow. This equation is solved approximately for the propagation constant of high‐ and low‐frequency waves by assuming that the medium is statistically isotropic. From the propagation constant, the propagation speed and attenuation coefficient are obtained. The results indicate that generally the propagation speed of the coherent wave is less than the average sound speed of the medium. The results also indicate a similarity between the effect of turbulent velocity fluctuations and the effect of inhomogeneities the thermodynamic properties of the medium on the attenuation of high‐frequency waves, whereas there is apparently a fundamental difference between the effect of velocity fluctuations and the effect of thermodynamic inhomogeneities on the attenuation of low‐frequency waves.