song

noun

ˈsȯŋ How to pronounce song (audio)
Definition of songnext
1
as in ballad
a short musical composition for the human voice often with instrumental accompaniment she sang a little-known song for the talent show

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in poem
a composition using rhythm and often rhyme to create a lyrical effect the songs of Shakespeare

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3
as in melody
a rhythmic series of musical tones arranged to give a pleasing effect whistle a song as accompaniment to your work

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4
as in dime
a very small sum of money developers bought the land for a song

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in poetry
writing that uses rhythm, vivid language, and often rhyme to provoke an emotional response a hero honored in song and story

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of song The death of Dolly Parton at age 80 leaves a legacy of kindness, philanthropy, films — and an enormous catalog of songs, including countless hits over the decades. — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026 People remember a year by who headlined, which friend came along, or how old their kid was when a particular song started playing. — Svetlana Khachiyan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 In 1992, with the release of The Bodyguard, Houston recorded her own version of the song, taking it to number one for 14 weeks. — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026 Dolly wrote over three dozen songs, and Richie managed to fend off Decca executives who wanted other songwriters for the album. — Martha Ackmann, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for song
Recent Examples of Synonyms for song
  1. ballad
  2. poem
  3. melody
  4. dime
  5. poetry
  6. lyric
  7. hymn
  8. anthem
Noun
  • The ballad requires more singing and less shouting — and featured a tattooed Lee playing a white upright piano splattered and streaked with fake blood.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The result is a self-reflective collection of empowering pop anthems and wistful ballads that detail not only the dissolution of a relationship but a return to oneself.
    — Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of ballad
Noun
  • Director Ivan Uryvskyi is candid about how the play recasts the ancient poem’s themes of return and those trapped in exile and captivity.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In another poem, Martial suggests that a writer seeking fame should copy his works on the toilet walls for all to read.
    — Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of poem
Noun
  • Beneath the song's upbeat melody and the movie's cantankerous humor, both deliver a powerful message that women deserve equal pay and treatment in the workplace.
    — Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
  • There is a minute’s ovation for Keegan, who was chief operations officer and then manager at Craven Cottage in the late 1990s, there is an unchained melody of bedlam, the creation of chaos and there are a lot of c***s.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of melody
Noun
  • As part of the yearlong celebration, the Mint is introducing one-year-only changes to familiar American coinage, including the circulating dime, quarter, and half dollar.
    — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Plus, Anarumo likes to deploy nickel and dime packages, which opens the door for more defensive backs to see the field.
    — James Boyd, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of dime
Noun
  • Ever the writer, Parton managed to find some poetry and deeper meaning in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for an I-65 rest stop.
    — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The film chronicles Oliver’s early years as a writer, the people and places that shaped her work and the celebrated poetry that eventually earned her widespread recognition.
    — Lizzie Hyman, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of poetry
Noun
  • Writers were impressed by her ability to infuse emotion into lyrics.
    — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Her lyrics were representative of America throughout different decades, including the changing experiences of women who demanded equality.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of lyric
Noun
  • The scholar of religion Friedrich Max Müller (1823–1900) noticed that many Vedic hymns praise different deities using the same superlatives and ascribe to them the same mythological feats.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Avie Lee filled the family's two-room home with music by singing hymns, folk songs and traditional mountain music.
    — Devarrick Turner, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of hymn
Noun
  • Dolly Parton, the brilliant songwriter and beloved country singer who has died at age 80, wrote one of the great anthems of the American working class.
    — John Nichols, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The song has endured beyond its controversy as something of an empowerment anthem.
    — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of anthem

Phrases Containing song

Browse Nearby Words

sonant
song
song and dance
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Cite this Entry

“Song.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/song. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on song

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about song

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