ovation

noun

ova·​tion ō-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce ovation (audio)
1
: a ceremony attending the entering of Rome by a general who had won a victory of less importance than that for which a triumph was granted
2
: an expression or demonstration of popular acclaim especially by enthusiastic applause
received a standing ovation

Examples of ovation in a Sentence

He was welcomed by a warm ovation when he came out onto the stage. received a standing ovation for the masterly performance
Recent Examples on the Web Maybe start by teaching them how to do an awesome standing ovation. Don Yaeger, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Reba McEntire calls bottom 4 singer 'a star,' gives standing ovation 'The Voice' contestants join forces for Taylor Swift tributes: 'Supergroup vibes' 'The Voice' coach Reba McEntire is more than her tater tots. USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2024 Gosling, seated in the front row near Prince William, spent the evening cheering on his fellow nominees and offering standing ovations for many. Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2024 While the performance got a standing ovation in the room, praise online was similarly enthusiastic, especially for Chapman. Moises Mendez Ii, TIME, 5 Feb. 2024 After a standing ovation, Jackson, Smith, some of the performers, the director, the librettist, the composer, the conductor, and Godsey came back onstage and answered questions. Ian Frazier, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 Those risks, of course, won’t matter much to a Dodgers fan base that embraced Hernández during his first stint with the club from 2015 to 2020, then welcomed him back with rousing ovations after last year’s trade. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024 And Seth Rollins On The Grayson Waller Effect Grayson Waller received a rousing ovation, and after doing a shoey with UFC heavyweight fighter Tai Tuavasa. Alfred Konuwa, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 After glowing introductions from Jennifer Aniston and Bradley Cooper that drew a standing ovation, Streisand, 81, delivered a heartfelt speech that reached back to her days as a teenage girl watching black-and-white films at the theater and a young actress pursuing her dreams in Hollywood. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 24 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ovation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin ovation-, ovatio, from ovare to exult; akin to Greek euoi, interjection used in bacchic revels

First Known Use

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ovation was in 1533

Dictionary Entries Near ovation

Cite this Entry

“Ovation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ovation. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ovation

noun
ova·​tion ō-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce ovation (audio)
: a public expression of praise : enthusiastic applause

More from Merriam-Webster on ovation

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