chorded; chording; chords
1
2
: a straight line segment joining and included between two points on a circle
broadly
: a straight line joining two points on a curve
3
: an individual emotion or disposition
struck a responsive chord
4
: either of the two outside members of a truss connected and braced by the web members
5
: the straight line distance joining the leading and trailing edges of an airfoil
Synonyms
Examples of chord in a Sentence
Verb
the revised system chords perfectly with the original goals
Recent Examples on the Web
The New Yorker, 19 Apr. 2024
Whether Kishida could strike the right chord with Trump as effectively as Abe did remains an open question.
—Tomohiko Taniguchi, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2024
Wipe down the chain or chord that the fixture hangs from with a soft, damp cloth to remove dust and debris.
—USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
In September 2023, the band announced that Steven Tyler, Aerosmith’s famed lead singer, has suffered a vocal chord injury in a statement posted to Aerosmith’s Facebook page.
—Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
The film struck a chord with audiences and has grossed $8.5 million to date, more than three times its budget.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Apr. 2024
The track opens with his trademark strumming of acoustic guitar chords, gradually transitioning into a catchy mid-tempo rhythm that blends urban music with cumbia influences.
—Griselda Flores, Billboard, 29 Mar. 2024
Rabid fans drowned his phrasings by shouting every lyric and squealing at every chord change.
—Travis M. Andrews, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024
The party’s message struck a chord with many Portuguese who did not vote before and attracted young voters through powerful social media outreach.
—Emma Bubola, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Daniel Kohn, Spin, 12 Sep. 2023
Noun
Although Swift produced the song with Jack Antonoff, the chorus brings to mind an earlier collaborator of hers, Max Martin, who is known for using major and minor chords in unexpected ways.
—The New Yorker, 19 Apr. 2024
Whether Kishida could strike the right chord with Trump as effectively as Abe did remains an open question.
—Tomohiko Taniguchi, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2024
Wipe down the chain or chord that the fixture hangs from with a soft, damp cloth to remove dust and debris.
—USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
In September 2023, the band announced that Steven Tyler, Aerosmith’s famed lead singer, has suffered a vocal chord injury in a statement posted to Aerosmith’s Facebook page.
—Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
The film struck a chord with audiences and has grossed $8.5 million to date, more than three times its budget.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Apr. 2024
The track opens with his trademark strumming of acoustic guitar chords, gradually transitioning into a catchy mid-tempo rhythm that blends urban music with cumbia influences.
—Griselda Flores, Billboard, 29 Mar. 2024
Rabid fans drowned his phrasings by shouting every lyric and squealing at every chord change.
—Travis M. Andrews, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024
The party’s message struck a chord with many Portuguese who did not vote before and attracted young voters through powerful social media outreach.
—Emma Bubola, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Verb
With the brand new Mike McCready Stratocaster, the artist now has a guitar designed to his specifics, including a custom pickup set to sound like his 1960 Stratocaster, a six-point tremolo, and a fingerboard radius that has enough arc for chording and easier note bending.
—Daniel Kohn, Spin, 12 Sep. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chord.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Chord.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chord. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
chord
1 of 3 noun
: a group of three or more tones sounded together to form harmony
chordal
adjective
-əl
chord
2 of 3 verb
: to play chords
chord
3 of 3 noun
: a straight line between two points on a curve
Medical Definition
chord
nounLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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