danced; dancing
1
: to move one's body rhythmically usually to music : to engage in or perform a dance (see dance entry 2 sense 2)
dancing to our favorite song
Shall we dance?
2
: to move or seem to move up and down or about in a quick or lively manner
dance for joy
leaves dancing in the wind
1
: to perform or take part in as a dancer
dance the waltz
2
: to cause to dance
danced the baby on her knee
3
: to bring into a specified condition by dancing
danced his way into her heart
dancer
noun
often attributive
1
: an act or instance of moving one's body rhythmically usually to music : an act or instance of dancing (see dance entry 1 sense 1)
the couple's first dance as husband and wife
May I have this dance?
2
: a series of rhythmic and patterned bodily movements usually performed to music
slow dances
dance moves
3
: a social gathering for dancing
a high school dance
4
: a piece of music by which dancing may be guided
5
: the art of dancing
studied dance in college
Examples of dance in a Sentence
Verb
He never learned how to dance.
She has always loved to dance.
I like the song but it's really hard to dance to.
He danced her across the floor.
She dances with a famous ballet company.
She's a great actress, and she can dance and sing, too.
Noun
They can do all the popular dances.
The only dance he knows how to do is the twist.
How about one more dance?
He stopped right in the middle of the dance to tie his shoe.
He did a celebration dance in the end zone after scoring the touchdown.
She studied dance in college.
Recent Examples on the Web
Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Former Dancing With the Stars pros Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd didn’t dance around their feelings on the subject of Taylor Swift backup dancer Jan Ravnik being cast as a professional dancer on the show.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 27 Oct. 2025
Brianne Tracy, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
At the end of the day, that is what makes this show so special, rather than just another dance show, is because there’s an actual technique book based off of these dances that you guys are watching the couples dance.
—Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dance
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
The Houston Astros fell apart down the stretch this season, missing the postseason and losing the division while the Seattle Mariners danced in October.
—Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Former Dancing With the Stars pros Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd didn’t dance around their feelings on the subject of Taylor Swift backup dancer Jan Ravnik being cast as a professional dancer on the show.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
Bonus points from the dance marathon were added to the judges’ scores from the first round to determine a final combined leaderboard of the night.
—Brianne Tracy, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
At the end of the day, that is what makes this show so special, rather than just another dance show, is because there’s an actual technique book based off of these dances that you guys are watching the couples dance.
—Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dance
Cite this Entry
“Dance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dance. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dance
1 of 2 verb
danced; dancing
1
: to engage in or perform a dance
2
: to move quickly up and down or about
3
: to perform or take part in as a dancer
dancer
noun
dance
2 of 2 noun1
: an act or instance of dancing
2
: a series of rhythmic and patterned bodily movements usually performed to music
3
: a social gathering for dancing
4
: a piece of music by which dancing may be guided
5
: the art of dancing
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