serenade

1 of 2

noun

ser·​e·​nade ˌser-ə-ˈnād How to pronounce serenade (audio)
1
a
: a complimentary vocal or instrumental performance
especially : one given outdoors at night for a woman being courted
b
: a work so performed
2
: an instrumental composition in several movements, written for a small ensemble, and midway between the suite and the symphony in style

serenade

2 of 2

verb

serenaded; serenading

intransitive verb

: to play a serenade

transitive verb

: to perform a serenade in honor of
serenader noun

Examples of serenade in a Sentence

Verb He serenaded her from the garden below her window.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The river is open for swimming, wading or just to sit beside while enjoying its splashy serenade. Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024 Sipping on Rumor Rose, a recurring donor for amfAR gala which was strategically placed on every table in the seafoam green and peach draped tent, the evening concluded with a serenade by Sting. Erin Michelle Newberg, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2024 In Montreal, she was treated to a limo ride with Joey, a shopping spree, a helicopter ride and a serenade with live music at the end of the night. Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 4 Mar. 2024 That’s why for their 25th anniversary in 2020, while the world figured out how to shelter in place, Holly found a way to surprise Rodney and celebrate their bond with a socially distant serenade, courtesy of crooner Jeffrey Osborne. Taiia Smart Young, Essence, 14 Feb. 2024 Bublé's serenade took place after the musician joined Prince Harry and Meghan, 42, at the Hillcrest Community Centre in Vancouver Friday for some wheelchair curling. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 17 Feb. 2024 The serenade for the popular French-Canadian nicknamed Flower arose again in the closing minutes, and the entire Wild team mobbed him in the crease for postgame hugs. Dave Campbell, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2024 Amidst the serenade of rustling leaves and the clinking of glasses, indulge in the extraordinary flavors crafted by Chef Daniel. Branded Content Contributor, Orange County Register, 8 Jan. 2024 Cohen and Mayer notoriously share a bromance that goes way back, including road trips, serenades, and yes, kind words at public events. EW.com, 30 Jan. 2024
Verb
To show where their loyalty is, Detroit fans mercilessly booed Stafford and the Rams, while serenading Goff with chants of his name before kickoff. Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press, 27 Jan. 2024 In the three-minute visual, the pair serenades couples on the dance floor, and one of them has a heart-wrenching story that takes centerstage. Griselda Flores, Billboard, 29 Feb. 2024 After securing the win, the tight end spoke to—or rather, serenaded—the crowd, and the camera panned to the superstar for reaction shots. Lindy Segal, Glamour, 12 Feb. 2024 Nearby stands a Victrola-style trumpet tall enough to serenade Godzilla. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2024 McEntire serenaded the crowd with her signature country twang and audiences caught glimpses of the large American flag on the field. Ilana Kaplan, Peoplemag, 12 Feb. 2024 Down at the warm and jazzy Weber's Restaurant, there will be a live pianist on Valentine's Day to serenade couples into the night. Kylie Martin, Detroit Free Press, 9 Feb. 2024 On Valentine’s Day, performer Keith Johns will serenade guests from 8:30-11:30 p.m. 1 Hotel South Beach, 2341 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; www.1hotels.com/south-beach For the homebody Thinking of celebrating Valentine’s Day with a night in? Amanda Mesa, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 Back at the resort, a lively local musician serenaded the sunbathers and swimmers at the Shores Pool. Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 26 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'serenade.' 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

Noun

French sérénade, from Italian serenata, from sereno clear, calm (of weather), from Latin serenus serene

First Known Use

Noun

1649, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1668, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of serenade was in 1649

Dictionary Entries Near serenade

Cite this Entry

“Serenade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/serenade. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

serenade

1 of 2 noun
ser·​e·​nade ˌser-ə-ˈnād How to pronounce serenade (audio)
: music as sung or played outdoors at night for a woman

serenade

2 of 2 verb
serenaded; serenading
: to entertain with or perform a serenade
serenader noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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