doo-wop

noun

ˈdü-ˌwäp 

: a vocal style of rock and roll characterized by the a cappella singing of nonsense syllables in rhythmical support of the melody

Examples of doo-wop in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Their friendship and mutual admiration produced something that neither had made before, with Rostam’s meticulous production framing Leithauser’s enormous vocal range across doo-wop, country rock, baroque pop, folk and torch song territory. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 17 Sep. 2026

If surfer music was a subset of rock and roll with doo-wop overlay, hot rod music was a subset of surfer music with gearhead overlay. — Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 14 Sep. 2026

The Netflix series covers the same timespan as A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, though presumably with less doo-wop. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Within a couple of weeks, in the shower room, somebody spontaneously was singing a doo-wop song. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 19 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

from nonsense syllables typical of the style

First Known Use

1961, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for doo-wop

• atop
• backdrop
• backstop
• bebop
• blacktop
• bookshop
• clatsop
• desktop
• eavesdrop
• estop
• hardtop
• hilltop